Sitting with God in His Love, Amidst Worries
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7 (ESV)
I love this verse because the way I read it, it’s not saying that the feeling of anxiety is bad and should be eliminated, but instead, it calls us not to “be” anxious, as in don’t actively linger there and take hold of it for yourself. See, I read this as an acknowledgment of the reality of life and its complexities, so when you have emotions, take them and their baggage and surrender them to God because he’s got it. His peace goes beyond our level of reasoning or understanding, as in it might not make sense to us or feel resolved, but his grace covers us in our present and our future.
I’ve been reading lots about anxiety in the context of psychology, theology and Christianity recently and learnt that it’s actually very helpful as a way of preparing us physically and mentally when there is a potential threat, or can even highlight to us things we care about which we failed to notice. But when anxiety and worry go beyond this, it can impact our minds and bodies to such a degree that it becomes debilitating and shifts us out of peace and into a state of relentless alertness, which actually hinders our ability to function at a cognitive and physical level, that’s to say that anxiety can take over our whole lives not just our thinking.
This is where prayer comes in; the research shows that contemplative prayer practices minimise anxiety symptoms. When these are applied to positive psychology interventions, they are even more effective at rewiring our brains, making it easier to engage in challenging situations instead of avoiding or controlling them; this also minimises shame as it shifts our focus from our potential needs (or lack) to God's loving grace.
If you have never heard of contemplative or even centring prayer, it’s a Christian tradition that focuses on our relationship with God; it helps us develop our attention and awareness while orientating ourselves to Christ amid our challenges. In practice, this type of prayer calls for us to sit somewhere comfortably and openly rest in God's presence, weaving between words and silence. This is not a prayer where you ask for things or try to get to know God better, but rather it’s contemplative and is more about being in his loving presence, and when thoughts and emotions try to take hold, you think about a word that brings you back to God like “Jesus”, this process allows us to acknowledge the reality of our thoughts and emotions without judging them meaning that we see them and allow them to pass by like a wave in the ocean, surrendering it all to God instead of focusing on what they mean or how we should intervene. Emotions are natural, so it's not the emotion that is the problem but what we do with it and how we allow it to shape our reality.
Be angry, and do not sin;
ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Selah
Psalm 4:4 (ESV)
This shifts away from the striving or rumination that comes with worry and anxiety as contemplative prayer is likened to basking in the sun or the love found in mutual gazing where you are truly seen and loved. Essentially, this process counters the focus on the perceived outcomes of the situation and the negative self-talk that comes with the burden of anxiety and worry by honestly laying it all down and trusting that no matter what happens, positive or negative, no matter what emotions it evokes in us, or thought processes we have, we are loved! We are accepted, and we are not alone; our lives are connected to something greater, and we need God because we can't do it alone; with him, there is always hope.
So yes, pray and take all your requests to God, but also sit in contemplative prayer, allowing your whole being to rest in his presence, knowing that despite circumstances, what is felt or thought, God knows and he cares. After all, prayer is, first and foremost, relational so we can be honest and vulnerable. If your situation seems impossible, tell him, spend time with him and allow your mind to be transformed, knowing that he is just as happy to sit with us in our mess as he is to celebrate with us in our wins. He loves us, and our lives have a purpose in all circumstances, so let him into it all and trust that his restoration and peace go beyond our worries.