Anticipating Pain

Leonard Cohen writes, in the song Hallelujah:

Maybe there's a God aboveBut all I've ever learned from loveWas how to shoot at someone who outdrew you.

What is our first response to anticipated pain? Have you ever had a backache that resulted in more pain because of the way you were walking to protect yourself from the back pain? Have you ever dropped eye medication on your eye lid instead of into your eye because you blinked in anticipation of the drop? 

How do we react when we believe someone has the power and the intent to hurt us? Do we strike out first - "shooting at someone who might outdraw us?" 

How do anticipated responses such as that alter our relationships? Prevent the development of relationships? 

As we read the Bible, we see a different kind of reaction. Jesus knew what was coming, and what did he do? He walked into the garden. It was an incredible vulnerability, and yet it paved the way for love.

I'm not advocating that everyone walk into a garden and submit to execution, but are we willing to speak and risk rejection? Truthfully, I often avoid situations that might lead to rejection, but is that really the way to go?