Bring Your Requests… and Give Thanks
November 2022
“Don’t be anxious about anything; rather, bring up all of your requests to God in your prayers and petitions, along with giving thanks.” (CEB)
It seems like everywhere I go these days I run into churches where anxiety is high and conflict is boiling. If your church is experiencing anxiety and conflict, there is nothing wrong with you. You are simply living in difficult times, and responding in a way that is natural.
I'd like to offer a tool for dealing with anxiety that has helped me a lot. However, before I do that I want to say something about professional help. Anxiety disorders run in my family, and I've learned that if I have anxiety that interferes with my work or life, is persistent, and is unfocused, then it's important for me to seek professional help. If you're experiencing anxiety like that, I hope you'll talk to a professional.
If you're having the kind of anxiety and interpersonal conflict that naturally arises from living in an age of covid, climate change, and poisonous politics, I'd like to point you to Phillipians 4 for one antidote. In that chapter, Paul tells us not to be anxious -- which is frankly unhelpful when I'm feeling anxious -- but then he goes on to offer a way forward: "Bring your requests, along with giving thanks."
In recent years, neuroscientists have begun to document how gratitude can actually change the chemical makeup and neural pathways in our brains. If you're interested in the science, this article is a good starting place. One of the remarkable things we've learned is that just trying to think of things we're grateful for (even if we can't think of any) can begin to bring down our anxiety level by physically changing our brains.
When I'm feeling anxious, I follow Paul's advice, and I begin to name out loud things I'm grateful for. If I'm experiencing conflict with a person, I try to name things about them that I'm grateful for. As an extrovert, I find this is more effective if I can do it with another person. If you're an introvert, you might find writing is helpful.
Then, as I feel my cortisol levels lowering and my serotonin levels increasing, I take a moment to think about what I really need. I bring my requests with thanksgiving. My new frame of mind often helps me distinguish my needs from my wants. It also helps me hold my requests more loosely.
With practice, I have learned to center myself more-often in gratitude and to dampen down my anxiety. It's not easy -- and it's harder these days than I can remember it being in a long time -- but I do think Paul was onto something.
Our anxiety and our conflict during these times is natural, but it's not helpful. I pray you will find more ways to let your requests be known to God, along with giving thanks. And, as you practice gratitude, know that I'll be here practicing alongside you.
As always, thanks for being the church for this time and this place. The world needs us now more than ever.
Blessings,
Tyler
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