Lately I've been suffering from mild anxiety attacks, for varying reasons, like this, and this, and this, and this. I'm also trying to stay on top of homeschooling, finish fixing up the basement, clean the house more than once a month, and buy a new car. I'm still having some female problems from the miscarriage (it looks like I'm going to need a D&C), plus I haven't been sleeping well either. So I guess you could say I've got a lot on my plate right now.
So the other day when I was feeling particularly panicky (mostly about not being able to protect my children from an all-powerful nanny state), at breakfast I opened my Bible for my daily Psalm reading, and saw this:
Psalm 12
Plea for Help in Evil Times
1Help, O Lord, for there is no longer anyone who is godly;
the faithful have disappeared from humankind.
2They utter lies to each other;
with flattering lips and a double heart they speak.
3May the Lord cut off all flattering lips,
the tongue that makes great boasts,
4those who say, ‘With our tongues we will prevail;
our lips are our own—who is our master?’
5‘Because the poor are despoiled, because the needy groan,
I will now rise up,’ says the Lord;
‘I will place them in the safety for which they long.’
6The promises of the Lord are promises that are pure,
silver refined in a furnace on the ground,
purified seven times.
7You, O Lord, will protect us;
you will guard us from this generation for ever.
8On every side the wicked prowl,
as vileness is exalted among humankind.
I also find myself often praying the verse in this post's title. These are frightening times to try to be raising a family.
I'm sorry you're feeling anxious. I felt the same way when you were young. There's such a lot of evil in the world.
ReplyDeleteWhen we started homeschooling I felt especially paranoid. I started praying to St. Joseph and relying on him to protect our family, and tried to practice radical trust in God. I realized I had to stop reading upsetting news stories, since I couldn't do anything about them anyway. I did pray for those who needed help. But I realized the most important thing for me was to maintain my peace of soul so I could be a good mother to you all.
I hope you will find your peace of soul again. You and your precious family are in God's loving arms and He will take care of you. And I pray for you every day.
Thanks for this reminder. It is so helpful. Doug and I have been marveling at how much people around us have been suffering this year. God must really want us all to be saints!
ReplyDeleteHi, Jenny.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful psalm...it is comforting to remember how fierce our God is in protecting and avenging the innocent. He is the Army that guards us. Love you, praying for you!
Whenever I get anxiety attacks, I crawl under my desk at work. Sometimes I take my laptop and read comics online. That's my safe spot where the world can't get me.
ReplyDeleteOf course, in my new office under my new desk, there isn't as much room so my feet hang out and are vulnerable to The World.