Panic

This word seems to dominate our culture right now.  Panic is defined as “sudden uncontrollable fear or anxiety, often causing wildly unthinking behavior.”  There are two key parts to this word that make it so dangerous:

 

First the nature–it is sudden and uncontrollable.  No matter what is happening, this event happens quickly and without the ability of anyone to do anything about it.  There is a complete and total loss of any type of control, and thus an overwhelming sense of helplessness.

 

Second, the impact—it always causes behavior that does not reflect any sense of understanding or calm. Behaviors don’t make sense, conversations are irrational, and actions are beyond comprehension.  

Too often, when we sense panic in our own lives, in the economy, or even the government, there are those who simply tell us NOT TO PANIC.  Let’s be honest.  That advice never works.  I all we hear someone saying is that they don’t understand what we are going through. 

The Bible addresses the word “Panic”, not simply by telling us not to panic, but by telling us why we have no reason to panic. 

 

John 14: 27 is one of my favorite verses:

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

 

In this passage, Jesus is sharing with his disciples that He will give them the peace that they will so desperately will need.  They don’t quite yet understand the severity of the events that are about to take place, but Christ is already assuring them that they will be okay.  He is letting them know that it will be His strength, and His peace that will guide them.  They need not worry because He will overcome. 

 

At some point each of us will have to make a decision.  Will we allow fear to dominate our lives and control everything that we do, or will we embrace who Christ is in us and trust Him?  Now don’t get me wrong.  This is one of the most difficult decisions to live out in our lives on a daily basis. It is much easier to say that I won’t be afraid than to actually live out the truth that Christ is living in us, but again it comes down to a decision.  We ALL have to address it.  It is not something that we can avoid, or something that we can pretend doesn’t exist. We have to face it, and in fact, by not facing it, we are in fact answering the question. 

 

If we look at the schemes of the devil we will recognize that sometimes he likes to use intimidation to control emotions and thoughts. He will manipulate our feelings and in some fashion attempt to make us feel as those we are inadequate in our relationship with Christ.  He event attempted to do that with Jesus.   It is amazing though how Jesus responded—He used all of scripture, and never allowed the devil to intimidate Him. 

 

I had a writing by C.S. Lewis shared with me  yesterday that clearly and beautifully summarizes our approach to panic:

 

In one way we think a great deal too much of the atomic bomb. “How are we to live in an atomic age?” I am tempted to reply: “Why, as you would have lived in the sixteenth century when the plague visited London almost every year, or as you would have lived in a Viking age when raiders from Scandinavia might land and cut your throat any night; or indeed, as you are already living in an age of cancer, an age of syphilis, an age of paralysis, an age of air raids, an age of railway accidents, an age of motor accidents.”

 

In other words, do not let us begin by exaggerating the novelty of our situation. Believe me, dear sir or madam, you and all whom you love were already sentenced to death before the atomic bomb was invented: and quite a high percentage of us were going to die in unpleasant ways. We had, indeed, one very great advantage over our ancestors—anesthetics; but we have that still. It is perfectly ridiculous to go about whimpering and drawing long faces because the scientists have added one more chance of painful and premature death to a world which already bristled with such chances and in which death itself was not a chance at all, but a certainty.

 

This is the first point to be made: and the first action to be taken is to pull ourselves together. If we are all going to be destroyed by an atomic bomb, let that bomb when it comes find us doing sensible and human things—praying, working, teaching, reading, listening to music, bathing the children, playing tennis, chatting to our friends over a pint and a game of darts—not huddled together like frightened sheep and thinking about bombs. They may break our bodies (a microbe can do that) but they need not dominate our minds.”

 

Challenge:

The challenge for today is this—when panic fills our mind, let us  remember that we are victorious in Christ Jesus, and that in the end, Christ wins. Remind the devil that he loses, and that you have chosen to surrender to Jesus.  Spend 5 minutes in Christ’s presence.  Let Him embrace you, and comfort you.  Let Him surround you with His grace, heal your wounds, quiet your mind, and steady your heart.  Embrace that time you have with Him. 

 

Then, for the next 10 minutes, thank Him for who He says that you are. Thank Him that He has made you more than a conqueror.  Thank Him that you serve Him, and are on the winning side.  Thank Him that He is using every situation for your good and His glory! I know it is hard.  I know that things can seem overwhelming at times.  I know that the devil is really good at lying, but rest in the truths of who Christ is.  There is no greater place to be that in His presence!  

 

Finally, tell a person you are close to, how thankful you are that God has allowed them to be a part of your life!

 

I am know that God is using you! I see the stories, and the lives that are changed!  Continue to be excited and passionate about Christ!  One day at a time!  I love you all and am praying for you!

 

Question:

What will you refuse to panic about today?