Thoughts from the Pastor
Several years ago, I joined the local Lutheran pastors in Idaho Falls to bring a professor from Pacific Lutheran University to town to lead us in a study of Bowen Family Systems Theory. It was the best continuing education I have taken. What I learned changed my parenting and my ministry.
One of the most vivid teachings was that every family or system has chronic anxiety. The professor explained this using two glasses with water. The water in the glass represented chronic anxiety. The fresh water that he then poured into the glasses represented anxiety producing situations. One glass was one-fourth filled with chronic anxiety water, while the other was two-thirds filled. When the same amount of fresh anxiety producing situation water was poured into each glass, the two-thirds filled glass overflowed onto the table. The one-fourth filled glass was able to handle the additional anxiety ridden fresh water.
When a family or system already has a large amount of chronic anxiety, a new anxiety producing situation will cause the anxiety to overflow and affect everything and everyone around them. That explains why some people who experience a traumatic event can take it in stride, while it may cause much drama for other people with higher chronic anxiety.
Philippians 4:6-7 says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." As Christians, we are encouraged to reduce our level of chronic anxiety! When we trust and rely on God, there is no need for such high anxiety. Unfortunately, we are not always good at reducing our anxiety.
This is what I thought about when Christians were angry about what they saw as the French organizers of the Olympics disrespecting Christians in the opening ceremony by portraying Jesus' Last Supper with men in drag. They immediately jumped to the conclusion that it was portraying the Last Supper without verifying their assumption. It actually portrayed an interpretation of the Greek God Dionysus. By the time this information was given, the offended Christians were too anxious and could only perceive themselves as victims.
Why are some Christians so filled with chronic anxiety that they perceive things around them as threats? Why do they see themselves as victims? Why do they feel a need to defend God, and pay more time and attention to perceived slights, than they do feeding the poor and taking notice of the refugees participating in the Olympics? I don't know what has caused the chronic anxiety, but it appears that their anxiety leaves them vulnerable to those who would want to manipulate them.
Instead of jumping on the anxiety band wagon and being annoyed that the Olympic committee may have slighted Christians or being annoyed that some Christians have become so angry, we have the option of following the Biblical teaching of Philippians 4:6-7. We can choose to pray, to give thanks that God is bigger than this situation, and ask for understanding. We can accept the peace God offers us, and use our energy to build up the Kingdom of God as we already begin to experience it here and now. We can choose to let go of our chronic anxiety, so that the next time we perceive a slight, the fresh water in our glass will be absorbed and not overflow! Amen.
One of the most vivid teachings was that every family or system has chronic anxiety. The professor explained this using two glasses with water. The water in the glass represented chronic anxiety. The fresh water that he then poured into the glasses represented anxiety producing situations. One glass was one-fourth filled with chronic anxiety water, while the other was two-thirds filled. When the same amount of fresh anxiety producing situation water was poured into each glass, the two-thirds filled glass overflowed onto the table. The one-fourth filled glass was able to handle the additional anxiety ridden fresh water.
When a family or system already has a large amount of chronic anxiety, a new anxiety producing situation will cause the anxiety to overflow and affect everything and everyone around them. That explains why some people who experience a traumatic event can take it in stride, while it may cause much drama for other people with higher chronic anxiety.
Philippians 4:6-7 says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." As Christians, we are encouraged to reduce our level of chronic anxiety! When we trust and rely on God, there is no need for such high anxiety. Unfortunately, we are not always good at reducing our anxiety.
This is what I thought about when Christians were angry about what they saw as the French organizers of the Olympics disrespecting Christians in the opening ceremony by portraying Jesus' Last Supper with men in drag. They immediately jumped to the conclusion that it was portraying the Last Supper without verifying their assumption. It actually portrayed an interpretation of the Greek God Dionysus. By the time this information was given, the offended Christians were too anxious and could only perceive themselves as victims.
Why are some Christians so filled with chronic anxiety that they perceive things around them as threats? Why do they see themselves as victims? Why do they feel a need to defend God, and pay more time and attention to perceived slights, than they do feeding the poor and taking notice of the refugees participating in the Olympics? I don't know what has caused the chronic anxiety, but it appears that their anxiety leaves them vulnerable to those who would want to manipulate them.
Instead of jumping on the anxiety band wagon and being annoyed that the Olympic committee may have slighted Christians or being annoyed that some Christians have become so angry, we have the option of following the Biblical teaching of Philippians 4:6-7. We can choose to pray, to give thanks that God is bigger than this situation, and ask for understanding. We can accept the peace God offers us, and use our energy to build up the Kingdom of God as we already begin to experience it here and now. We can choose to let go of our chronic anxiety, so that the next time we perceive a slight, the fresh water in our glass will be absorbed and not overflow! Amen.
Recent
Archive
2024
Categories
no categories
No Comments