Christmas Anxiety?
Sunday before Christmas Day, 4th S in Advent
Have you ever been frazzled? Is that a word? It certainly is a feeling of overwhelming angst and the opposite of quiet , peaceful serenity. I came across a book called, Overcoming Anxiety for Dummies and there are a lot of good ideas in there to try and settle one's emotions and thoughts down. Some people avoid anxiety for example and doing that may increase it. For example if you do not like parties, just don't go, but as the book illustrates after a while you become isolated, and being around people for any reason creates more anxiety. There are exercises which offer momentary relief such as "controlled breathing" or the " progressive muscle technique". While many of these exercises are very helpful for a short time and give us relief , I wonder if they really get to the long term solution. I liked the book but the fixes were not permanent at least for me.
God offers us as His people and followers of Christ His comfort, gentleness and kindness when we are frazzled. The OT reading from Isaiah talks about how He leads us, " He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young." Who likes to be led gently? Oh that we could do that for each other and our leaders would do that for the people!
I left the gas thing on the car open the other day. I thought I had it all together, doing errands. There was the prescription to drop off at Walgreens, bank, gas at HEB , and then at Walgreens somone tapped on my window and I could not fathom why. He told me the gas cap was still open! We had a nice chat and I made a new friend. But we do not have it all together, do we? My daughter told me she was so happy to go to the post office and do all the packages and felt so together, and then when she got home, after looking in the mirror she saw she had chocolate all over her face!
Our Epistle from Philippians 4 has rich fodder for anxiety and stress. " Do not be torn in different directions ( lit.), divided into parts (lit.), distracted, anxious..." Do we ever wonder why we blow up? Why even a little thing does it?! NO. It all adds up, and we like the old pressure cooker blow the top off, instead of letting out the steam every few minutes. Some of the other Anglican fellowships listen to Matthew 1:18-25 today. It is about how Joseph was going to put his wife away quietly, but he listened to the angel and found out that Mary was going to have Jesus by the Holy Spirit. Imagine his anxiety. But we do not read of Joseph being anxious. Instead in a fix, " Philippians 4:6" Instead, Joseph must have not only listened to the angel of the Lord and did what He said.
How is your stress level? We all have it. We cannot get rid of the stress but we can control how we handle it. I had the best Chaplain Assistant in Korea when I was there. We had to take our wide HMMV to Seoul , a city of about 12 million people, and we had to negotiate the roads. A bus took advantage of its size and always cut us off. But my Ch Assistant , black belt in karate, knew how to control his emotions. He never got mad. He breathed more deeply and controlled the situation. How is your reaction? We all blow up, but when and where and why ? Can we experience what the text says, " the peace of GOD which passes understanding"? That is my main insight for today!
The world and its ways gives us temporary relief. The peace which God gives is from Him. Instead of blowing up , we should step up to God and receive HIS PEACE. It is the peace of God, that is, it is from Him. He will guard our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus .
What did Joseph do? Instead of being anxious for long, He applied Philippians. " But in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving present your requests unto God"
One of the commentaries I used this week to illustrate this passage for me in my preparation for today re-translated this section of Scripture like this:"
my brethren beloved, continue steadfast in the Lord. I learn that Euodia and Syntyche are at variance. I beseech them to be reconciled; and I entreat you, Synzygus, who are justly so named, to use your influence to this end; for those women were my helpers in the gospel work, along with Clement and other faithful laborers. Rejoice in the Lord, always. I repeat it, rejoice. Let all men see your forbearing spirit; and in no case be anxious, for the Lord is at hand. Commit every matter to God in prayer, and pray always with thankful hearts; and God’s peace which, better than any human device, can lift you above doubt and fear, shall guard your hearts and thoughts in Christ Jesus. Finally, my brethren, take account of everything that is venerable, just, pure, lovely, and of good report—in short, of whatever virtue there is, and of whatever praise attaches to it. Practise what you have learned from me, and the God of peace shall be with you."
When I was in the Army for my first 90 days I was a bit of a hurry up and do it all person. I got to the point where the Brigade Chaplain, the Major, called me in, and said, " You cannot do it all in the first few days." He knew from his years in service that one had to take stock, listen to others , especially God, and take breaks now and then. In honor of this , my wife, Vanessa, did a cross stitch which the Evening Prayer reading for today, and hangs at home on the wall in my messy study," Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." Is 40
again.
When in a fix , " Philippians 4:6" Do not be anxious. There is a purpose in what you are going through. It will be in God's time plainly seen. Our time is not His, is it? God called to His heavenly home 5 seminary classmates of mine in the last month, two Bishops, one pastor friend who had a classical radio voice, one a CEO died while snorkeling on his honeymoon, and one a long time pastor in Philadelphia. It is hitting me . But would we want to be on any other time table than God's? No!
Do not be anxious. God has a plan. He will bring it all to pass in His time, and in His way, not ours. Reflect, renew and rejoice in His return and in His Will. " Not my will but yours O Lord, be done "
Amen.
Have you ever been frazzled? Is that a word? It certainly is a feeling of overwhelming angst and the opposite of quiet , peaceful serenity. I came across a book called, Overcoming Anxiety for Dummies and there are a lot of good ideas in there to try and settle one's emotions and thoughts down. Some people avoid anxiety for example and doing that may increase it. For example if you do not like parties, just don't go, but as the book illustrates after a while you become isolated, and being around people for any reason creates more anxiety. There are exercises which offer momentary relief such as "controlled breathing" or the " progressive muscle technique". While many of these exercises are very helpful for a short time and give us relief , I wonder if they really get to the long term solution. I liked the book but the fixes were not permanent at least for me.
God offers us as His people and followers of Christ His comfort, gentleness and kindness when we are frazzled. The OT reading from Isaiah talks about how He leads us, " He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young." Who likes to be led gently? Oh that we could do that for each other and our leaders would do that for the people!
I left the gas thing on the car open the other day. I thought I had it all together, doing errands. There was the prescription to drop off at Walgreens, bank, gas at HEB , and then at Walgreens somone tapped on my window and I could not fathom why. He told me the gas cap was still open! We had a nice chat and I made a new friend. But we do not have it all together, do we? My daughter told me she was so happy to go to the post office and do all the packages and felt so together, and then when she got home, after looking in the mirror she saw she had chocolate all over her face!
Our Epistle from Philippians 4 has rich fodder for anxiety and stress. " Do not be torn in different directions ( lit.), divided into parts (lit.), distracted, anxious..." Do we ever wonder why we blow up? Why even a little thing does it?! NO. It all adds up, and we like the old pressure cooker blow the top off, instead of letting out the steam every few minutes. Some of the other Anglican fellowships listen to Matthew 1:18-25 today. It is about how Joseph was going to put his wife away quietly, but he listened to the angel and found out that Mary was going to have Jesus by the Holy Spirit. Imagine his anxiety. But we do not read of Joseph being anxious. Instead in a fix, " Philippians 4:6" Instead, Joseph must have not only listened to the angel of the Lord and did what He said.
How is your stress level? We all have it. We cannot get rid of the stress but we can control how we handle it. I had the best Chaplain Assistant in Korea when I was there. We had to take our wide HMMV to Seoul , a city of about 12 million people, and we had to negotiate the roads. A bus took advantage of its size and always cut us off. But my Ch Assistant , black belt in karate, knew how to control his emotions. He never got mad. He breathed more deeply and controlled the situation. How is your reaction? We all blow up, but when and where and why ? Can we experience what the text says, " the peace of GOD which passes understanding"? That is my main insight for today!
The world and its ways gives us temporary relief. The peace which God gives is from Him. Instead of blowing up , we should step up to God and receive HIS PEACE. It is the peace of God, that is, it is from Him. He will guard our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus .
What did Joseph do? Instead of being anxious for long, He applied Philippians. " But in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving present your requests unto God"
One of the commentaries I used this week to illustrate this passage for me in my preparation for today re-translated this section of Scripture like this:"
my brethren beloved, continue steadfast in the Lord. I learn that Euodia and Syntyche are at variance. I beseech them to be reconciled; and I entreat you, Synzygus, who are justly so named, to use your influence to this end; for those women were my helpers in the gospel work, along with Clement and other faithful laborers. Rejoice in the Lord, always. I repeat it, rejoice. Let all men see your forbearing spirit; and in no case be anxious, for the Lord is at hand. Commit every matter to God in prayer, and pray always with thankful hearts; and God’s peace which, better than any human device, can lift you above doubt and fear, shall guard your hearts and thoughts in Christ Jesus. Finally, my brethren, take account of everything that is venerable, just, pure, lovely, and of good report—in short, of whatever virtue there is, and of whatever praise attaches to it. Practise what you have learned from me, and the God of peace shall be with you."
When I was in the Army for my first 90 days I was a bit of a hurry up and do it all person. I got to the point where the Brigade Chaplain, the Major, called me in, and said, " You cannot do it all in the first few days." He knew from his years in service that one had to take stock, listen to others , especially God, and take breaks now and then. In honor of this , my wife, Vanessa, did a cross stitch which the Evening Prayer reading for today, and hangs at home on the wall in my messy study," Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." Is 40
again.
When in a fix , " Philippians 4:6" Do not be anxious. There is a purpose in what you are going through. It will be in God's time plainly seen. Our time is not His, is it? God called to His heavenly home 5 seminary classmates of mine in the last month, two Bishops, one pastor friend who had a classical radio voice, one a CEO died while snorkeling on his honeymoon, and one a long time pastor in Philadelphia. It is hitting me . But would we want to be on any other time table than God's? No!
Do not be anxious. God has a plan. He will bring it all to pass in His time, and in His way, not ours. Reflect, renew and rejoice in His return and in His Will. " Not my will but yours O Lord, be done "
Amen.
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