Tower and Town, May 2022

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Clergy Letter

Watching the news at the moment is like watching a trailer of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. The stories and images are awful and we feel fear, anger and worry. This emotional response can have a significant impact on us: did you know that worry is derived from the old Anglo-Saxon word for ‘to choke’? One famous psychologist asserted “fear is the most disintegrating enemy of human personality”. Another psychiatrist said, “Anxiety is the great modern plague.”. But we don’t need to be victims of worry. At its simplest worry is an unhealthy and destructive habit. As none of us was born with this habit and only acquired it, this means we can change it. The moment to begin breaking the worry habit is today. There are many books and prayer techniques to help us conquer worry but here are a few ideas, which I’ve found helpful.

• Say to yourself: ‘Worry is just a very bad mental habit and I can change any habit with God’s help’. It might sound odd but sometimes we have to tell ourselves the truth.
• If we practise worry, we will become a worrier. If we practise and exercise faith it can become the stronger habit. How do we do this? Each day begin by affirming your faith by repeating out loud: ‘Lord, I believe in you’.
• Take some Scriptures and speak them out in faith over the day ahead. My favourite: ‘This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it’ Ps 118:24. I know many others love Gabriel’s comment to Mary: ‘For nothing is impossible with God’ Luke 1:37.
• Avoid worry conversations. A group of people talking pessimistically can infect everyone in the group with negativism. If you can talk things up, you can drive off the depressing atmosphere for everyone.
• Watch the news less often and earlier in the evening. St Paul encourages us to focus on ‘whatever is noble…right…pure…lovely….admirable…excellent or praiseworthy’ Phil 4:8. Switch to watching at 6pm and read something uplifting before bed time.
• Cultivate friendships with hopeful people. Churches are full of people who smile and who are full of faith and creativity. This will keep you restimulated with an attitude of trust.
• See if you can help others overcome their worry habit. In helping others, we often help ourselves.

I don’t think believers are meant to be weighed down with fear and anxiety. God wants to help you to break the destructive habits of worry. It is possible and many can testify to how they have let God replace negative patterns with faith. Sometimes as ministers we encourage people to imagine Jesus being beside us. If he was really there would we be fearful or worried? I don’t think so, so treasure some of Jesus’ last words on earth: ‘I am with you always’ Matt 28:20.

Chris Smith