A New Spiritual Paradigm
Who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began… (2 Timothy 1:9)
When I went to seminary, I had a warped understanding of the call to ministry. I put pressure on myself to be successful in every area of ministry. I held the belief that if I were less than stellar in any aspect of my ministry, I would be a failure to myself, my Church, and my God. No pressure there! No wonder my anxiety expanded throughout my preparation for ministry and the first decades of ordained ministry. Much of my stress came from an inappropriate personal paradigm.
You are human if you occasionally feel anxious. I read somewhere that the only people who are never anxious are those suffering from Alexithymia, or the inability to feel emotions. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather not lose all emotion, even if it sometimes creates anxious moments. In “What to Do When Life Feels Out of Control,” Darshak Rana helps us address our feelings; he challenges us not to expect a “flawless life.” Instead of perfection, Rana calls us to “Lower your expectations and accept that life is unpredictable.” What makes us so unique? No one, even the wealthiest celebrity, the most outstanding athlete, or the Dali Lama, has an idyllic life.
We can only make things worse by trying to fix them. Instead, God calls us to accept our imperfections and the world’s flaws. Rather than continually trying to produce the unobtainable, God calls us to make a positive difference in our deficient way. Once we accept our limited abilities and limited consequences, we will then be able to accomplish much for the glory of God.
Today, look beyond the simplistic and consider your values and expectations for yourself. What views and expectations have increased your anxiety and may undermine your confidence? When you evaluate your paradigm, you can pray deeper and receive foundational support from the Holy Spirit for greater self-assurance and productivity. Do the emotional and spiritual work and experience the Spirit’s guidance and revelatory care.