A DAY OF EVIL TIDINGS

There has never been a day  in the history of our country quite like this one. Or more accurately days like we have endured in the last few months.

I know the media compares it to other events in American history but I think today is unique in many ways because it is our day. It is our time in history. We are a people shaped by our own generation and its experiences. We are not our ancestors of decades ago.

Never could any of us imagined that a tiny invisible to the human eye virus could disrupt so many people’s lives on such a large scale. Yes, viruses come around every year and  yes people die from them every year but most of us just continue on with our lives. We may get sick and suffer a while but  then we get better and go back to our jobs and livelihoods .

That is impossible for so many today. This virus holds our nation in an unseen grip of fear and uncertainty. The authorities over us are trying to, for the most part, do their best job in solving the problems but they really are not any more sure than we are of the results,of either staying at home for more weeks,or opening up now.

In the meantime we are more or less under house arrest with our fears and anxieties which in this day and age are many. Just turn on the TV for an hour and be hit with constant commercials designed to induce fear. You are either going to have you life savings stolen by hackers, your house robbed, or your health comprised if you don’t purchase whatever product they are advertising. Yes some of these things we do need as in home security etc. I am not saying we don’t it is just that hearing that constantly on a daily basis wears down what’s left of our feelings of security if we have any left after news briefings on the pandemic.

Fear and anxiety rule the day. Will we get sick if we go out to the store today? Will a loved one get sick and die? Will we have a job to return to and when will that be? How are we going to feed our families and pay the bills? Psalm 118:12 They compassed me about like bees –” That is exactly how our problems feel right now. Overwhelming and fearful.

Our minds are good at coming up with bleak possibilities believers in our faith. We stumble at the next round of statistics of disease and death. We look in the fridge and we wonder how long will there be anything in there to eat? Silence answers us or some brief hope that quickly crashes.

Psalms 112:7 “He will not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, (stuck like glue) trusting in the LORD. His heart is established(on the God’s promises) he shall not be afraid.”  (I added the extra)

If we fix our heart on God’s mercies and love by spending time in His Word and meditating on what it says we can establish or steady our hearts. I think the key is spending time in the Word. Read the Psalms draw strength from what we know about our God. In one Psalm David says he has never seen the righteous begging bread. (or going hungry) As we read we must apply the words to our heart with a belief that the truth will out. God does not fail. He has never failed His own. It may have seemed like that at times but His love is ever abundant to hold us up in times of struggle.

I know that if  you have children at home etc that it is hard to spend much time in the Word but you can find a verse and hold on to it for the day. Make it  your anchor so to speak to hold you in place against fearful news that you will hear today so you are not mentally or emotionally tossed about by the next wave of an ocean you can’t control.

Matthew 6:25-34 is a really good chapter to read. In this chapter Jesus goes right to the heart of the matter and gives comfort and encouragement to see beyond the problem.

Why worry and fear when we have a Savior that loves us and has a special interest in our lives like no other?  And guess what you, if your trust and hope is in Him you are “more than a conqueror” Romans 8:37 How? Through God who loves us so

Read the verses around this one and  you will get a picture of what Christians have suffered through in days past while occupying this earth. Tough things, hard things, unreasonable things, frightening things, and yet Paul says “we are more than conquerors.” Why? Because God loves us and won’t forsake us. He will provide for us and strengthen us and He will never leave us alone to be overwhelmed or destroyed by the enemy of our hearts and souls. He will always protect us in a dozen creative and unseen ways. Don’t doubt it.

 

Anxiety

I have read some post on my FB lately of people having anxiety attacks. No wonder. I am not a stranger to these attacks. They come over a person and they can really take you down.

Yes, there is Scripture where God commands us to” be anxious for nothing and by prayer and supplication let your requests be made known to God and the peace of God will keep your heart and mind.”

I could delve more deeply into that verse and perhaps in the future I will. But anyone who has experienced an anxiety attack knows that reasoning has little to do with it. Trying to focus on Scripture may at that moment be impossible.

So here are a few things that I have found that help—

For one thing get out of your head. Yes that is where the “what ifs? have been building for days along with graphic scenes of calamity and disaster.So mentally move from that focus and switch just for this moment on your surroundings,  Take some deep breaths and really focus.

See that chair over there? Take in every detail.

How about that  table? What is setting on the table take special note of it.

Stay in the moment and slowly examine your surroundings. You are here now in this moment. Do you feel calmer? The future is not bubbling up to meet us because  that movie projector called our overactive imagination is turned off.

Do you see how the color of that jar over there reflects in the sunlight? Maybe touch some things and feel. How does it feel smooth or rough? What do you smell? Even if it’s not ethereal at least it is your house and your safe spot. Maybe it coaxes up a good or funny memory.

Also I have found that pictures can be a real way to escape the worrying world around us. I have a picture of an early morning outdoor french cafe. I purchased it not long after I moved to the city from the country. I hated moving to the city. But I would study that picture and imagine myself sitting in that quiet setting at one of those white wrought iron tables then I would place Jesus across from me.  I would proceed to imagine myself talking to Him and pouring out my broken heart.

Your picture or pictures you choose may be very different. For years I had a desert scene that worked to calm me.  I found being uplifted by the pleasant surrounding in the picture and then adding Jesus to mix always gave me a sense of calm and often purpose. Sometimes I think the Holy Spirit was able to really communicate with me for a short while, since my mind was not so occupied with daily problems.

Of course there is always chocolate…And I don’t mean mountains of it, though that is an amazing thought. Chocolate has a chemical that is soothing. How do you use chocolate without over doing it?

An aside I have to laugh the last time I went to the store between my husband and myself we had piled quite a bit of candy on the belt. I am sure the check out lady was a bit bemused. But all I can say is— “Some do liquor, I do chocolate.”

Back to how to do chocolate sensibly. I learned this from dieting. Try to buy a high class chocolate if you can. Unwrap it and spend some time just smelling it. Yes enjoy that aroma and that promise of better things to come. Slip it into your mouth and slowly dissolve it on  your tongue totally focused on its flavor and texture. If one isn’t enough slowly take another and do the same. After just a few you will feel more relaxed and the taste will not be as pleasurable then you will know it is time to stop for now because your desire has been satiated.  You have had just what you needed for a bit of comfort without over doing it.

O, and if you have chocolate in your kitchen, hide it in the cupboard so you don’t see it all the time. And sometimes you won’t even need an actual piece but you can just imagine how good that tasted and that can help. This really worked for me when I had all kinds of hormone imbalance and could wolf down a whole candy bar without thinking—so hopefully it will work for  you.

If you like tea–chamomile is good. Definitely avoid caffeine and sugar. Those two things we love don’t love us back when we have an anxiety attack. In fact they may trigger it.

Music can help and that can be any kind, I think. Find something that uplifts you and brings back some good memories. I find praise music works for me right now because it lifts up the name of God and reminds me of His love and goodness. Also there is a verse in the Bible that says He inhabits our praise.

I also like a few rock tunes like “Lean on Me” etc. Sometimes it’s fun to just pick up a spatula for a mike and belt them out.  If you have children  dance with them. We use to have square dances in our living rooms when my kids were young and I’m not really a country fan but it was fun to get up and get busy.

Working out can help as well. Take that anxiety and ride that stationary bike or go for a quick walk especially outdoors now that the weather is good. Sometimes our bodies just need to move and get the anxiety  from within to work its way out of us through our fingers and toes.

I hope some of these help. I know I will be using them in the days ahead as I deal with the uncertainty of our times. Now— I have to go have chocolate—-God Bless