Are you anxious? by Ps Jim Jung

“Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.” (Psalm 37:7 NLT bold font added)

Have you ever been anxious? We all have, as it is often our natural reaction to stressful situations. It can also be a horrible place to find yourself, especially if it becomes so overwhelming and you find yourself unable to function. I’m comforted that the Psalmist recognises anxiety (the words he used were “worry” and “fret”) as something that besets us but am equally grateful that a solution to its effects are given to us. Picture this:

On the neck of a guitar there are tiny little bars that run crossways and parallel to one another, evenly spaced all the way up and down. These little bars are called "frets” and they’re responsible for changing the note on a string once the player places a finger between them and presses down.

Our English word “worry” comes from two sources. A Middle English word that meant to “seize by the throat” or to “harass” and an Anglo-Saxon or Old English word that means, “to strangle”.

The Psalmist, way ahead of his time, recognises the effects of anxiety (worry and fretting) have on the human soul. Pressure being placed upon us through a myriad of sources forcing a change of note coming from our lives. Or feeling like our freedom or liberty is being squeezed and strangled.

Medical and physiological interventions are vitally important parts of the cure for some of us during these moments. All of us can utilise the strategy of the Psalmist: “Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act.”

Withdrawing from the maddening crowd and finding a place of stillness and peace often allows the Holy Spirit to speak clarity and perspective into our souls. Releasing the pressure on the frets of our lives, removing the feeling of harassment is evidence of His healing presence. Take a walk on the beach, drive to a scenic outlook and spend a moment breathing in some fresh air. Ask Jesus to bring peace to your anxious moments.

Ps Jim Jung