journeys-page

Prayer: The Antidote to Fear and Anxiety Dear Friends, I know there are debates right now around whether to fully or partially open the economy across the nation. We have those who are very cautious and those who feel like it is time to go back to our routines. One of the point people are stressing out in these debates is fear and anxiety. I was thinking of sharing with you what apostle Paul says about fear and anxiety: Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:4-7 NIV) “We are at war, at war against a sly and invisible enemy: the Coronavirus or COVID-19” These are words from French president, Emmanuel Macron. “The fight to slow the spread of COVID-19 is our big war… We have to win this war” said president Donald Trump. “We must act as any wartime,” Said the British prime minister, Boris Johnson…The common denominator from these three political leaders is that they all recognize that we are at war… Scientists are busy in laboratories around the world trying to come up with the solution to this war. They are working day and night to find the antidote to the predicament that the world is facing right now. They are working to find the drugs to treat effectively COVID-19 but also to find the vaccine. While we are anxiously waiting for the vaccine and the treatments to be found, I believe we need a vaccine to deal with our anxiety and fear. I do not want to minimize the fear and anxiety going on right now around the world. My intention by writing this reflection is not to say those who have faith should not fear or be anxious. No, I do not understand faith that way and I do not see fear or anxiety as lack of faith but they (fear and anxiety) are natural feelings. However, God has always invited us to go beyond what is natural. God has always invited us not to worry as the Scripture says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, let God know about your anxiety and fear through prayer and petition…” Even in times of global pandemic, God asks us to trust in God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Of course, trusting in God does not mean being irresponsible, it does not mean breaking the measures taken by government and health practitioners. It simply means God loves us and wants the best for us and for people around us. Do not be afraid or fear not is repeatedly in the Bible not to insinuate lack of trust in God but it is an assurance that God is always with us. It is a reminder that God is God and we are not God and that we can easily have our moments of fear and anxiety. Even in such moments God is there to reassure us that all is well. The topic that dominates theological reflections during this pandemic is “things will never be the same…” This could reflect how anxious we are for the future. This could demonstrate the fear of the uncertainty. The following is the interpretation of the antidote to fear and anxiety presented to us by apostle Paul: 1. Make your needs known to God. Pour out your soul before God. It is in prayer and intimacy with our Lord that everything happens! Prayer helps us not only to gain something but also prayer helps us lose whatever has been weighing on our mind (depression, insecurity, anxiety and fear…). 2. Be grateful… full of gratitude for all that God has already done for you and your loved ones also be full of gratitude because God loves you. Remembering God good deeds in our lives and that God loves us is an excellent remedy against anxiety. When you read about the story of the Hebrew people’s long walk to the promised land, you will realize that the most important thing that had kept their faith in God was their ability to remember the great things God had done for their ancestors. So, remembering God’s faithfulness can help us navigate through this storm. 3. Receive the peace of God, which transcends all understanding. May that peace continues to guard our hearts and minds away from any insanity. May it (peace of God) helps us understand what it takes to stay safe and compassionate in this challenging time. May the Lord’s peace keep our hearts and thoughts fixed on Jesus. The apostle Paul while going through his moments of anxiety and fear, he only had one antidote, prayer. And so my prayer is that our hearts are not going to be the storage of fear and anxiety but in everything we are going to share our fear and anxiety with our Lord through prayer. Amen. Kalaba Kapundu Associate Pastor, Trinity UMC GI