Put It In Second Place

I just finished my annual benefits meeting—you know, the one where all of your fears are tapped and you are suddenly convinced that you need every type of supplemental insurance possible? What if I get cancer? What if I have a heart attack or stroke? What if I get in a wreck and have to be hospitalized? What if, what if, what if?

The ironic thing? When I got back to my room, the song “Fear is a Liar” was playing.

It’s hard to balance: The fear of “what if” vs. reality of “what is.” Scripture tells us not to worry about tomorrow because tomorrow has enough worries of its own. Yet if we don’t look toward tomorrow, then we will inevitably be unprepared for something that takes advanced planning and preparation.

Scripture tells us not to be anxious about anything but in everything by prayer and supplication present our requests to God. I pray all the time. Almost literally. I say, “Dear God” all day long and I believe every thought that follows to be a prayer. And yet I still struggle with Generalized Anxiety Disorder…and I really don’t believe it’s because my faith isn’t strong enough.

As I was preparing for my upcoming retreat, I read something that addressed this dilemma. In The Interpreter’s Bible, it says:

“Have no anxiety” should not be taken as a counsel of perfection. Spiritual freedom of the inner life will not, for most of us human beings, put an end to all worldly anxiety, but it may put it in second place where it is more readily handled. When given first place, it can be literally the death of us. So long as we have to make a living and keep body and soul together, we have to be more or less anxious about our job and our future, our families, social injustices, and a better future for everybody. There is anxiety in our waiting for future possibilities to show themselves, but when such concern is in second place, it will not dominate our whole life and interfere with what we care most about.” (pg. 112, Philippians Commentary)

I don’t know about you, but I think this is about as good of a solution as any: Put the fear, anxiety, worry, doubt, and all manner of ickiness in second place. All manner of ickiness will always exist, and it must be addressed, and life must be lived, but let the ickiness hold less weight in the balance, for God is with us, working and creating good, existing in and revealing Love…and Love wins.