“Private Lives”

Mark 1:35-37

      Have you ever wondered what famous people do in their private time, when there are no cameras and reporters around? This private conduct does say a lot about a person’s character. It is not our character when we know people are looking that matters. We can all put on a good face and do the right thing for a period of time. But what counts is the character that comes out when no one is looking. Is there a difference between your conduct when you are out in public and alone with your family? Do you do things at work that you would never do at home?

      We enter another round of teaching and miracle that Mark uses to drive home his point. Mark says that Jesus gets up with a purpose on his mind. He needs time to pray, without the distractions and activities of the day. He gets up before dawn, before the sunlight begins to warm the early morning sky with its light. Remember, they did not keep track of time the same way that we do. They didn’t have a watch or a cell phone to tell them what hour and minute the present moment is relative to all the other moments of our day. They kept track of time in broader terms, connected with the movement of the Sun and Moon.

      Notice that Jesus didn’t just get up early, very early and kneel at the side of His bed to pray. He went to a place by Himself, away from all the things that might distract Him. This is some good advice for those of us wanting to have a rich life, filled with eternal experiences. We need to get away and pray. Sometimes we need to eliminate the distractions in order to stay focused. Do you have a solitary place, a place where you meet with the LORD and pray?

      I wonder what was going through the disciples’ minds when they woke up and couldn’t find Jesus? It almost sounds as if they went into panic mode. They couldn’t find Him and they go out to search for Him. I can see searching for Him if he had been gone a full day, but to rush out and try to find Him after only a short interval of absence seems very anxiety driven.

      Notice what Peter tells Jesus. Peter says everyone is looking for Jesus, but it is really the disciples who are worried, more directly, Peter is anxious. We use this same kind of exaggeration when we talk about “everyone” being at the party. What we really mean is that all the important people were there with us. We were part of the important people crowd.

      Do we ever let our anxiety determine our behavior? I think this is a part of all of our lives. We often don’t recognize the connection between our anxieties and our behavior, but most of us have some anxiety-driven reactions to life’s events. We run around looking for someone or something that will ground us, settle us, comfort us. Jesus sought out prayer. Simon sought Jesus. What do you seek?

Stuck in the Past

Proverbs 12:25

Anxiety and depression are two of the most treated mental illnesses in the United States. And yet, despite all the medications prescribed, the incidence of these two conditions continues to rise. Pills alone have been ineffective in providing long term relief from symptoms.

Our proverb, written almost three thousand years ago, gives us a glimpse into what does work. It takes caring words to bring relief. These are not the empty words of a website jingle card, but those of a human being who takes time to listen and understand before speaking. It takes human connection.

Anxiety does burden a person’s heart. As anyone who has experienced this knows, it is an almost intolerable burden. It is like carrying an unwanted backpack. Or even being punched in the stomach and falling to the ground. The very wind gets knocked out of you. Sometimes you feel like you can’t breathe, or like your chest is going to explode.

And once you have your first episode of anxiety like this, you become anxious about being anxious. The possibility of having another attack sends you into an attack. And the vicious cycle begins. The anxiety pulls you out of activities and relationships you used to enjoy and which brought support. You get pushed into a smaller and smaller box, trying to control the possibility of an attack.

Anxiety is not “in your head.” It is in your body. Remember, your head is part of your body! The memories of previous episodes trigger physical symptoms in your body. Just thinking about them causes your body to react as if you were back there.

If you experience anxiety like this, maybe it is time to find someone to talk to about it. A caring, compassionate counselor can make all the difference. They can help you unwrap the cords of anxiety that push and pull you.

If you know someone who is stuck in anxiety, perhaps you could be that person who learns to speak the kind words.

You don’t have to stay stuck in the past.