Getting a Grip When it all hurts Part 3 040314

Getting a Grip  When it all hurts Part 3

1 Peter 5:6-11 ESV
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, [7] casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. [8] Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. [9] Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. [10] And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. [11] To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Ver 7 - enough said. LOL

What can I say that this passage does not say?

The hard part is doing it.  You see this is not like bouncing a ball off a wall where you cast it and it comes back.  It's not like fishing where you cast your lure and reel it back in.  This is like pasta.  You cast it and it sticks to the wall!

He wants us to cast our anxieties - those emotions, feelings, senses - whatever you want to call them, on Him.

This ties into humility because we cast our anxieties on Him (and that which produces anxiety) because we realize that we can't fix it.  That is the humility component -!  It is NOT giving up.  It is NOT sitting in the corner rocking back and forth.  It is not an, "Oh to Hxxx with it."  It is not an, "I quit."  It is a beseeching of Him to take from us those emotions (?) which we call anxiety and to give us a peace based solidly upon -- wait for it ---  the FACT that He cares for us.

It is NOT a, "Let go and let God," giving up in the circumstances.  It is a calling upon Him to join Himself more deeply to our hearts and minds so that we have a sense of peace and comfort even in the midst of anxiety producing circumstances.

Now remember - we are weak and the flesh is irritatingly strong so we sill do the fishing thing.  We'll cast our lure our there for a while (cast our anxieties on Him) and then after a period of no nibbles (the circumstances continue) we'll reel that anxiety right back in.  The we'll cast it out again and again and again.  Folks, I think He wants us to fish with a float and not do all that casting.  He wants us to cast out our line and let it sit - watching the float closely for the nibble.

Anxiety is a terrible debilitating thing.  For some of us it is deadly.  But we do have recourse to Him.  We can cast it upon Him and leave it there - let Him deal with it.

Now there is the anxiety and the circumstances that cause the anxiety and we need to cast both upon Him.  We don't let go of what we can and should be doing but we ask Him to take the stress and pain and anxiety upon Himself - to lift it from our hearts and minds, to protect us from all the imaginings that create the anxiety.

Now I need to briefly address my brothers and sisters who suffer from what is called anxiety disorders.  That simply means that your anxiety - which is probably based on something legitimate - is disorderly - out of proportion - out of control.  Many of you have medication to help you deal with it and count that a mercy and a blessing.  BUT don't count it as the cure or answer!  It is neither.  It is a blessing that should be used and appreciated and respected.  It should be used as needed and when and how you need it is something you have to take responsibility in and for.

There are many ways of dealing with anxiety besides medication and I'll tell you, if you're not using them along with your meds - you're being silly and not smart.  There are relaxations techniques, long walks, talking to yourself, prayer, reading scripture --- all these and more are great aids to dealing with anxiety.  Use them as you use your medications - silly.  The pill is NOT magic.  We all KNOW that it simply calms the anxiety for a while.  Making use of ALL stress and axiety relievers is critical.  They are all asnwers to the problem!  Use as many as you can and see if you can't slowly and gently reduce the frequency and number of meds you need to use.  BUT DO NOT just quit them for some strange and convoluted pseudo-biblical reason - they - their use - is not sin.  PS:  I KNOW what I'm talking about.

Ok - so much for that.

Jesus wants us to bring to Him all that we need and all that distresses us and He wants us to trust Him with it.  Sure, our flesh will want to play tug-or-war with our anxieties and that's OK - we just need to push them back on Him.  Prayer-The World and the Body of Christ are the keys to helping us accomplish this.  

Melancholy - Moving Forward 020614

I hope you've gotten a better appreciation for the soul affliction of melacholy.  Whether you suffer it yourself or know someone who does it is a tough  thing to deal with.  But God is faithful and He will not let us face trials that we can not bear.  I know that sounds hollow, but it's true.

One key to our spiritual life when the affliction of melacholy is present is to keep it simple.  Pray simply.  Read the Word simply.  It is not  time to try for lofty heights or profoound depths of sirituality.  It is time for rest and trust and, well, simplicity.

I often simply pray the Model Prayer or the 23rd Psalm or another Psalm that toouches my need.  I often simly read Pslams of Proverbs to take in what spiritual nourishment I can.  As an old Puritain once wrote, "Do it s you are able in order to do it better."  Be gentle with yourself.

One thing to remember is that our feelings are twisted up by the affliction.  We have to really work to remember thaat what is true is true regardless of how we feel.  I've found that quoting (reading) passages of assurance like those found in Eph. and Rom. can make a real difference.  I just read them over and over not like a chant but to fix my mind and keep it from wandering to the worries melacholy brings with it.

If you are involved with someone struggling  melancholy you have a powerful ministry to be about.  Tenderness, patience and taking care of yourself are critical.  You can not "fix" it but you can be a source of comfort and encouragment.  It will take a lot out of you but God will supply your need.  You will at times, feel helpless and hopeless yourself and the things I've mentioned above will benefit you as well.

Perhaps the gretest thing you can do is to pray for and with your friend of family member.  Pray scripture with them, pray comfort for them, pray piece for them.  They are not defective they are afflicted.  One friend descibes their depression as a bad case of the ful that never ends.

I haven't mentioned medications yet but I need to.  My motto is, "Trust God and take your medications."  God in His providence has provided some wonderful treatments for melacholy and we would be foolish to not take advantage of them.  You want to be on the right med' that allows you to engage and address the melacholy.  I tell those I minister to, "You are not responsible FOR your melacholy but you must be responsible IN it."

The med's don'c cure anything but they do alleviate the melancholy so that we may, to one degrree or another, function responsibly. Remember the quote above, "Do it as you can......"  That's what you want your med's to do.

I'll revisit melancholy form time to time and am still open to questions and dialogue but that's about it for now - I'm "Doing it as I can........"

My prayers are with the melachoy and those who care or them.  You are not alone no mattter how alone you feel.  God is certainly with you and you are in the hearts and minds of many many others who suffer as you do.

May God lead you to the warmth and light of His grace more and more, day by day.

Michael