The Ultimate Cure - September 29
Today’s Readings - Psalm 89:1-18; 2 Kings 17:24-41; 1 Cor. 7:25-31; Matt. 6:25-34
The statistics on the number of people in the United States who have been diagnosed with anxiety is astounding. My mother’s anxiety, and accompanying depression controlled her life from as early as I can remember. As a very young child I was aware that I worried more than most other children my age. Just the sound of an ambulance could send me into a tailspin.
Dr. Edith Eger in her book The Choice describes her own personality and the issues that she has faced as a survivor of Auschwitz. She writes that as humans we all have unpleasant experiences, we all make mistakes, and we all end up being the object of circumstances beyond our control. What she realized after years of self- analysis and study was that when we experience mistakes, discomfort or tragedy, that the feelings that result signal something about our own self-worth. Unfortunately, in that vulnerable state we convince ourselves that the awful circumstances or results we end up with are all we deserve. When that could not be further from the truth.
Today’s gospel reading is one that I have almost memorized because I’ve focused on it so often. Does Jesus not know how many drug companies make their fortunes dependent on people being anxious? Of course he does. That must be why the advice “Do not fear” is repeated so many times in the Bible, more than any other adage and is the least obeyed. Anxiety is often fueled by the feeling that we’re not enough, not good enough, not strong enough, not smart enough, not popular enough. The thing is even though we’re all imperfect, broken and flawed we’re just enough. Jesus still loves us as if we’re the apple of his eye. The problem seems to be that we are unable to accept this outlandish wonderful idea. We can’t seem to accept ourselves just as we are, broken, overweight, too short, too old, too thin, too tall. We’re just never going to be exactly who we think we want or need to be. In the end the goal isn’t merely to lessen our anxiety, but to better align ourselves with God as our creator, a God who makes no mistakes and ultimately to give less power to this master we call “anxiety”. That would be the ultimate cure-all prescription.
Can you imagine being anyone more perfect than the perfect creature God created? This is where you smile and with a big sigh of relief thank God that you are exactly who you were created to be.
Faithfully,
Sally+
Questions for Challenge and Reflection - Can you change the object of your current struggle by worrying? What constructive steps can you take? Prayer is always at the top of my list, but God empowers us to act, so make a list, an appointment with a therapist, a nutritionist, whatever reroutes your energy from worrying. Don’t let worrying steal the joy God intended for your life.