Stop Double Dribbling
Written by Rev. Dr. Scott Paczkowski
“Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? ”
I would get so stressed out if I seemed to make my mother unhappy. I forgot a line in a play once, and it has haunted me to this day. I jumped forward three pages and left my stage wife speechless. I was better at individual sports than team sports because, in team situations, I would tighten up, worried I would let the team down with a mistake. That is why I didn’t get past 9th-grade basketball. It had nothing to do with my height or my inability to dribble well (that is my story, and I am sticking on it). The need to succeed pushed me toward success but also brought painful anxiety.
One of the many things underrated about Christianity is the theological concept that you do not have to prove yourself to God. Sure, God would appreciate it if you would try refraining from immoral or unethical behavior, but God has provided grace, so even our sin isn’t a permanent impediment. I am so tired of trying to prove myself. It is such a waste of time. God is the only one who matters, and we do not need to waste our time trying to impress the one who already knows our very being.
Life will remain stressful, and unhealthy anxiety will not leave us until we determine if we are enough for ourselves and God. We will never be enough for everyone, or perhaps anyone else. So, we can continue to dribble along, bouncing from one emotional moment to the next, living at the whim of others' affirmation or criticism, or we can focus on God and divine grace. Only through God’s love can we experience life beyond having to prove ourselves constantly.
Today, notice the number of times your anxiety levels go up. What is causing the discomfort? What or who is driving your concern? Then, consider why you do not feel capable of handling the situation at hand. Is the concern legitimate? It is serious if one’s emotional, physical, or spiritual well-being is at risk. Otherwise, an emotional overreaction impedes our ability to be who God is calling us to be in this life. Pray for God to provide a proper self-image. Focusing on our self-image isn’t a call to self-aggrandizement but an appropriate vision of who God has called us to be and our ability to reach out into this world and make a difference. We cannot make the difference God calls us to perform if we keep dribbling out of bounds, worried about who we might be letting down. Only when we live with confidence can we fulfill our lifelong calling.
