Recently the Revised Common lectionary served us up a bit from the gospel of Matthew, the theme was WORRY. “‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life?... indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things...So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” (excerpts from Matthew 6)
Because I attend seminary chapel on a (somewhat) regular basis and I was playing for services on Sunday I think I heard this WORRY text read and preached a total of six times in seven days. Now, you know when someone says “Don't look behind you because....” and the immediate jerk reaction is to look behind you? Well, when you hear repeatedly, “stop worrying, stop worrying, God does not like it, stop worrying...” it is really hard to not WORRY, and then I am worrying about the fact that I am worrying and around and around we go.
Or maybe I was so sensitive to this WORRY text because the princess worries, its her full time job. She is always on high-alert with her WORRY-radar ready to go off at any moment. Recently the worries have become bigger..
and bigger...
and bigger...
so we've called in the professionals (let's face it, me helping her with her worries is like the blind leading the blind). At the moment we're not so much focused on the “why” of her worries, but the “how” of it all. I am being educated with helpful phrases, strategies, and coping techniques while the princess is learning some breathing techniques, re-orientation skills and coping techniques. What I've found to be fascinating is that this process we're being taken through is remarkably biblical! Its as if Jesus had the corner on cognitive-behavioral model! Check it out...
| WORRY | BIBLICAL WISDOM |
Put your worry into words (distinguish between reality and imagination) | “Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer supplication with thanksgiving your requests be made known to God” (matt 6) |
Give your self a designated “worry-time” then ignore your worry the rest of the day | “And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life?” (matt 6) |
Talk back to your worries! (positive thinking) | “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever commendable, if there is any excellence and if there anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (phil 4) |
Re-set your system (to alleviate physical symptoms - relaxation, breathing, activity) | “Come to me, all you that are weary and are heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (matt 6) |
The princess has been working on this for a couple weeks and while there is still too much WORRY in our household, these tried and true practices have really proven to improve her quality of life (and lessened the worry of the Pastor too). Here's to the day when the Princess' worries become smaller...and smaller...and smaller!
No comments:
Post a Comment