Daniel Worried (11-22-2020)

Daniel Worried 11-22-20 Beginning Scripture: Daniel 7:28 “This is the end of the matter. I, Daniel, was deeply troubled by my thoughts, and my face turned pale, but I kept the matter to myself.” Daniel had had visions of several beasts, future kingdoms, and what some believe to be a foreshadowing of the coming of the Anti-Christ as well as other things. These visions really troubled him. He was actually afraid of what would happen. I don’t have visions but I DO sometimes allow my fertile imagination to conjure up all kinds of stuff that might happen. Recently, I was planning a solo trip to Houston for some business and to see some of my relatives. I got to thinking about the things that could go wrong. Where would I stay? Which relatives would I see? I got to thinking about all the details of my stay: the timing of various events, and whether things would go as they were supposed to with the business in the time I had allotted for it. Reading about Daniel and how this man of great vision - worried, actually made me feel a little better about my petty little worries. I thought if this wise and faithful servant of God could be troubled, why not me? Then I read a devotional that spoke about this topic of worry and fear. The writer, Justin Camp, directs his biweekly devotionals toward men but what he says can equally apply to women. Justin said this: “Something’s coming. Doesn’t it always feel like that? Maybe it’s something financial . . . maybe work-related . . . maybe health-related . . . definitely bad. And so, we worry. I mean, it almost feels like that’s just a part of being a man, worrying about what’s coming. We worry about all the bad things that could happen, to us and to our loved ones. We scheme about how to get out in front of all those things. Then we worry some more about whether we’re actually men enough to execute our schemes. All this worrying hangs over our lives. It haunts our thoughts and steals important moments—moments that should be joy-filled. From: Justin Camp, Gather Ministries, devotional for 11-16-20 So, in view of what Justin says, what can we do to avoid the haunting of our thoughts that steal important moments – moments that should be joy-filled? Justin makes one very good suggestion: sharing our worries with someone we trust. That is precisely what I did with my worries about going to Houston, my concerns about COVID, who I would stay with, and so forth and so on. I shared them with my wife. Helen had some real good ideas that immediately made my worries subside. Thank God I have someone who I can share my burdens with. I do not take this blessing for granted. Scripture has some things to think about when we start worrying: Galatians 5:1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. In Galatians Paul describes this slavery declaring that the whole world is a prisoner of sin. In chapter 3 verse 22 he says: "We were held prisoners by the law, locked up." And in chapter 4 verse 3: "We were in slavery under the basic principles of the world." But - what does freedom have to do with worrying? What this scripture says to me about that is to avoid being shackled with fear by dwelling on past experiences or feelings based on experiences long past. We should not let this kind of thinking limit our possibilities and potentiality. Jesus Christ came to free us from all of that. Let’s remember that when we start to worry. We have a God who sent his son to show us how to be free of our sins and sinful nature, free of our mistakes and worry about them. Matthew 6:26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? God is a good parent and we have value in his eyes. He will be there for us whatever happens. If I can truly believe and trust that God is going to be with me, and that he will give me the strength to carry on with whatever comes my way, then I should be ok. Again, this image of God as my caring, loving Father is of great comfort to me. My challenge is to recall the many times in prayer and meditation I have experienced great intimacy with my good good Father and felt close to him. Here are some ideas that psychologists have come up with about avoiding worry: 1. Write down your worries. If an anxious thought or worry comes into your head during the day, make a brief note of it and then continue about your day. Remind yourself that you’ll have time to think about it later, so there’s no need to worry about it right now. Writing down your thoughts gets them out in the open and worries are more likely to lose their power. 2. Challenge anxious thoughts: You may overestimate the possibility that things will turn out badly, or you might jump immediately to worst-case scenarios, or treat every anxious thought as if it were fact. You may also discredit your own ability to handle life’s problems. 3. Work on concrete steps to deal with concerns: Problem solving involves evaluating a situation, coming up with specific steps for dealing with it, and then putting the plan into action. Worrying, on the other hand, rarely leads to solutions. 4. Interrupt the worry cycle: Get up and move! Exercise is a natural and effective anti-anxiety treatment. It releases endorphins which relieve tension and stress, boost energy, and enhance your sense of well-being. Also deep breathing and relaxation techniques as well as meditation can help you focus on the now. https://www.helpguide.org/articles/anxiety/how-to-stop-worrying.htm I once had a counselor who told me that when I start feeling anxious, just focus on the now. What do I hear, what is the temperature, focus on the room or the place I am in. I have found that those things help. Prayer Father, you sent your Son to free us from the bondage of sin, to free us from slavery to worldly concerns and worry. Over and over and over you have told us: be not afraid. Father, we adore you and love you and we know that you are always right here with us no matter what. Thank you, Father, for your protective shield. I confess that I sometimes forget about you in the middle of my concerns and worry. Remind me of your love and care at these times and, Father, find a way to lead me back to you. Amen.