ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
June 22, 2022
There are always going to be events and happenings that cause stress and anxiety. I’d like to tell you how to create an entirely stress-free world in three easy steps, but I do not believe such an approach exists. There is probably someone who has written a book on the topic, and there might be some exceptional suggestions found in its pages, but creating an entirely stress-free environment is more than wishful thinking. There are too many factors beyond our control. I could provide a list of things that cause concern in our lives, but you already know the list well and have check-marked those that impact you most significantly. With this in mind, I have been returning to a practice encouraged by many smart people, including a handful of the writers in scripture. The opening words of Psalm 9 are, “I will thank you, Lord, with all my heart…” If you read further into the Psalm, you quickly learn how life is not going well. It sounds as if there are plenty of reasons for feeling stress and anxiety, but the author of the Psalm seems to know what even modern science suggests: gratitude changes us and how we see our circumstances. It’s not a game changer, but gratitude activates many parts of the brain. It releases dopamine, which is considered the brain’s pleasure chemical. These measurable physiological changes are not short-term. They last. With that in mind, I have been trying each morning to name one thing for which I am thankful, and then at least a dozen times during the day, say: “God, I am thankful for…” Often, that’s all I say. But a few times during the day, the prayer gives rise to something else, and then something else. Gratitude prompts gratitude, which only helps create more of those good and positive chemicals in our mind and body. The attitude of gratitude is very helpful in times of stress and heightened anxiety.
God, I want to give thanks for… Amen.
