Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent and Lenten commitments. In an article called Lenten Fast writer Lauren Winner says she is going to give up worry for Lent. She admits that she is an anxious person and from the sound of it she has it bad:
I worry that avian flu is finally going to hit this year and I will get into my car and head west to my stepmother's remote farm, but I arrive too late for the quarantine, or my stepsister will pull up the same moment I do and there will be enough food for only one of us, and my father and his wife will be forced into some 21st-century blended-family Sophie's choice.I worry that my identity is being stolen by someone right this second and every cent drained out of my bank account and a Lexus bought with a credit card in my name.I worry that I have forgotten a crucially important appointment, or maybe that I've forgotten that I'm supposed to be giving a lecture in Saskatchewan right this second and there's a small group of people sitting in an auditorium somewhere, angry and wondering where I am.I often think I've lost my driver's license. Driving to the airport, I pull out my license five times, ten times, just to make sure I wasn't somehow deluding myself when I last checked, three minutes ago back near exit 57.It's breathless, compulsive behavior, behavior that makes no sense...
For as long as I can remember, anxiety has been my close companion, having a long time ago taken up residence in the small, second-floor bedroom of the house that is my body. Sometimes my anxiety takes long naps. Sometimes it throws parties. But I don't imagine it will ever tire of this neighborhood and move out for good.
I appreciate her honesty because anxiety affects many of us. Judging from the lucrative pharmaceutical industry it is a national epidemic. Some of us manage to keep the beast under control. Others are controlled by it. Close to twenty years ago I spent a lot of time with a compulsively anxious young man who was very bright and barely able to function because he fretted about everything, including being late for our appointments. I challenged him to give up worry for Lent and while he liked the idea I think he fretted a lot about not keeping his
commitment
Winner says that during Lent she repeats this prayer from her denomination's prayer book: "O God of peace, who hast taught us that in returning and rest we shall be saved, in quietness and in confidence shall be our strength: By the might of thy Spirit lift us, we pray thee, to thy presence, where we may be still and know that thou art God."
Are you a worrier? Does anxiety affect your daily living?What do you worry about? Does your relationship with God make a difference? How about giving up worry for Lent?
I hope you join us for worship this evening.
2 comments:
Normally, I do well to control worry and anxiety, however life has thrown some curve balls at me recently that even Gary Carter would have had trouble catching!
If there is anything I have learned - and I wish I had learned it a long time ago - is the importance of talking about your anxiety and worry. Just that simple act can help you feel better.
My middle name is Anxiety {Lori-ANNxiety - see how well it works- literally] In the middle of the night, for the last week, I have worried that the floor boards Kevin has spent 3 weeks putting down will pop back up one by one and our floor will look like a hag with missing teeth. I have also spent nights worrying that my own teeth will fall out [somewhat based on reality I'm afraid] and that our bathtub will fall through the kitchen ceiling [it sometimes moves a bit when I step into it and the plumber who put it in was a bit of a nutter so again slightly reality based] I have worried that my dishwasher will explode due to bad wiring, and that the little washer thingy at the base of the toliet will erode without our noticing and our house will float away and whether or not insurance will cover it.[all those clauses] Need I go on? Roger says I need to talk about it. Thanks Roger. What time is my appointment?
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