It’s A Disaster!

In this Interruption I’m entering the confessional booth and you are taking my confession.

Please note: I’m the #1 consumer of God’s grace in the history of Christianity. Paul said at the end of his writings that he was the #1 sinner (1 Timothy 1:15). I’m in good company with needing God’s grace.

Whenever something happens, my mind quickly goes to the worst-case scenario. I think: “It’s a disaster!”

Psalm 94:19 reads:

When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, your consolations delight my soul. (NASB)

The Passion Translation says:

Whenever my thoughts get out of control, the soothing comfort of your presence calms me down.

Once, when my daughter backed into another car, I told her, “There goes your college education.” My reasoning – college education gone because of no money, because of large lawsuit, because of daughter involved in auto accident.

Ironclad logic!

I can quickly think the worst in a situation, even if the worst scenario in my mind is completely blown out of all rational sense. My children now tell me whenever something bad happens, “Well, there goes my college education!”

Note: all my kids managed to graduate from college in spite of losing their college education money several times each!

I justify my over-reaction as discernment. My hyper-vigilant disaster awareness mind has averted some difficult situations. Like riding my bicycle yesterday through a tunnel while thinking, “I’m slowing down and getting really close to this wall as another rider might come from the other side in my lane.”

Yes, it happened. I almost crashed headfirst into my fellow pastor, Rick Ives, who wanted to ride side-by-side with his wife, Heather, through the tunnel from the other side. My hyper-preparedness system averted a disaster!

Most of the time, as it says in Psalm 94, my thoughts get out of control.

What can I do?

1. I have a great family who tease me incessantly! Also, fellow staff members and even elders. They know me. I trust them. They calm me down.
2. I enter God’s presence every morning, and I cast my anxieties upon Him in my bed every night before I go to sleep.
3. I have memorized the three great promises of the Bible in Philippians 4: verse 7 for peace, verse 13 for power, and verse 19 for provision!
4. I apologize often!

I stay sane only by laughing at myself. I laugh at you too! We all have eccentricities that need a few laughs.

Staying humble through laughing at ourselves averts many disasters. In fact, after a good laugh, these disasters disappear completely. They turn into a totally manageable situation.

By the way, can I borrow some money for my grandkid’s college education?