Shakey- May 12, 2012
June 4, 2012
Dear Sam,
I used to be so confident and spontaneous, but now I'm worried and distressed about everything. There's really nothing wrong in my life, it's just that I feel such dread about the future. Do you think all the bad news in the world is affecting me? The funny thing is that the more I pray the worse I get. It's like praying reminds me that I'm in trouble. What is going on?
-Shaky-
Dear Shaky,
Iit does seem that stress is on the rise and you're not the only one to notice. When these nameless fears overwhelm us they can paralyze us and cause us to retreat into isolation and stagnation. What you describe is not so much the threat of outer circumstances but the stripping away of your inner vitality and vision. This is good news. You can't control this sinful world, but you can take responsibility for your personal responses. Except that you are finding that all your efforts are in vain. When hope is lost, life becomes an insurmountable uphill battle. So let's see if we can find that hope and infuse you with the courage to live again.
The Bible, which is a history of human life, addresses your dilemma using words like fear, afraid, terror, dread, anxious, tremble, shake and quake. Wow! You are in God's Word, and God knows you inside out. These emotions were built into you not to hurt you but to be an internal alarm system to alert you to the presence of danger. If those dangers are real then you are empowered for action. So the first order of business is to understand your fears so that you can determine whether to respond to them or to call their bluff as imaginary. This is the therapy that is used for phobias, and it just may work for you.
The thing with therapy, though, is that it is conducted with the aid of trained helpers. They might be physicians, or counsellors, or even mature Christians. Just talking openly with a trustworthy person can begin the process of regaining your vision of a hopefilled future. Your discussions need to have focus and intent: specific, named fears; what you are trying to avoid; how your life would be different if you weren't afraid; what you fear others will think of you; what you would have to change about yourself in order to stop being afraid; worst-case and best-case scenarios. From these discussions you will learn what your fears are telling you, which fears to relinquish and which to cultivate, and how to move on despite your fears. Proverbs 1:7 says“the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.” This course of action will certainly require discipline and disclosure to yourself, another person and God. Be more afraid of avoiding this than of doing it. You want your vitality back, well here it is. God's on your side to bless you with peace.
INSIDE THE ISSUE is authored thru Resurrection Lutheran Church, 250 Quarry Rd, Pembroke. Worship at 10:30am. http://sites.advancedministry.com/ResurrectionLutheranChurch
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