2020 is a difficult time to be alive if you’re an anxious person. The news is perpetually alarming. Coronavirus. Floods and tornadoes. Political divisiveness. Terrorism. Stock market unsteadiness. TikTok and teens. We take in so much disturbing content, sometimes even accidentally, that it’s hard to do as the ubiquitous sign says and: “Keep calm and carry on.”
It’s been two years since I noticed it, but I have an ongoing problem with general jitteriness. I know it relates to all that I mention above and is intensified by the coffee and tea I drink, the antihistamines I’m taking, and the simple fact that I’m a high-strung person. But it bothers me that I can’t control my own shaky hands or rapid heart rate. And it bothers me even more so that I notice my girls tending toward some anxiety as well.
We learn early on in health class that our bodies are brilliantly equipped with a fight-or-flight mechanism that helps protect us from harm. But fight-or-flight is not a state anyone of us wants to live in all the time. It’s exhausting and unhealthy. It’s also, dare I say: unholy. Yet this truth doesn’t stop me from giving my own anxieties plenty of room to take root in my mind and even my mannerisms all day long.
For some reason I struggle to remember that God isn’t caught off guard by the news. Nothing comes as a surprise to him. Unlike us, he isn’t on his throne scrolling his phone and saying:
“Oh gosh. What now?? There’s a new virus spreading like wildfire! Who is monitoring this?!”
Nor is he saying, “Wow! The climate is really changing fast! What’s going on with this crazy weather??”
None of us can know what God is thinking. But Psalm 47:8 says, “God reigns above the nations, sitting on his holy throne.” So what we can know is that God isn’t standing up in shock or awe. He isn’t aloof up in the heavens unaware of what’s happening down here. He is reigning and sitting on a holy throne. I believe he is kind and compassionate and concerned for our hurts and our hearts. But he isn’t worried.
I came across this quote from N.T. Wright this week from his book Following Jesus:
What instruction, what order, is given, again and again, by God, by angels, by Jesus, by prophets and apostles? What do you think—“Be good”? “Be holy”? Or, negatively, “Don’t sin”? “Don’t be immoral”?
No. The most frequent command in the Bible is: “Don’t be afraid.” “Fear not.”
Fearless living is not just a healthier way to live, it’s a holier way. And it’s an order. God is straight up saying not to be afraid.
This is all well and good. But the question remains: how can those of us who are naturally wired to be afraid push back against the fear?
I don’t know. If I did know I probably wouldn’t be jittery. But I do know that we can make ourselves say things out loud that remind us why we don’t need to fear. This simple phrase below is one a professor at Friends University says aloud to his classes. I first heard it from Emily P. Freeman when she used it in a podcast, and I’ve since seen it referenced and explained several other places as well.
“You are one in whom Christ dwells and delights.
You live in the strong and unshakable kingdom of God.
The kingdom of God is not in trouble, and neither are you.”
James Bryan Smith
That pretty much sums it up. It’s far more comforting than my newsfeed. And it’s a phrase I want to pray over my children and start and end my own days with as well.
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On a much lighter but related note… even our sweet dog is anxious. She has been doing better in recent months thanks to some calming bites my husband formulated at the pharmacy. But she had a setback over the weekend when he installed a contraption called a Furbo in the den. The Furbo is a video camera that monitors your dog when you aren’t home and allows you to push a button on your phone to remotely dispense a treat. Ideally, we would be notified that she’s barking on the app, and then we could glance at the video recording, talk to her if we wish, and dispense a treat to settle her.
Well. That might work for some dogs. But not surprisingly, Rosie is scared silly of the Turbo. After all, it makes a strange noise when it activates. And she seems to dislike being monitored by a machine. Sure, she’ll eat the treats it spits out. But she tucks her tail, runs and grabs the bacon bite, and then retreats to a proper hiding spot under the kitchen table. She is, even at this moment, avoiding her bed in the den because it is too close to the Furbo. And when I ask about it, I get the side-eye.
I think I may have to start using the James Bryan Smith phrase on Rosie as well. I’m not sure about the theology of Christ dwelling in her, but I can say with certainty:
“Rosie, you are one in whom Christ delights. You live in the strong and unshakable kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is not in trouble, and neither are you.”
And also, the Furbo won’t hurt you.
Does your husband offer these calming bites to the public? Our 3 dogs have extreme car anxiety and taking to the vet and groomer (both only 2-3 miles away) is like running a marathon. We’re all exhausted by the time we pull in. Curious if the bites would help them in the car. Thanks!