14 Oct Anxious about Our Anxiety

Oh my gosh! I’m Anxiety. Where do I put my stuff?
– Anxiety speaking about her literal baggage in “Inside Out 2”

Anxiety.

Just reading or writing the word makes me anxious. We are indeed the “anxious generation,” so it should come as no surprise that the emotion “anxiety” takes center stage in the recent Pixar film, “Inside Out 2.” The beautiful central theme of both films is that even seemingly negative or bad or unpleasant emotions serve a purpose. In the first film we learn that sadness can invite others in to help and comfort us when things don’t turn out how we hoped (like losing a hockey game). In this film we learn that anxiety—and their related fight or flight impulses—do serve a purpose:

I’m sorry. I was just trying to protect her. But you’re right. We don’t get to choose who Riley is.
– Anxiety in “Inside Out 2”

Yet, this sincere attempt at protection can get out of control as anxiety utilizes all of Riley’s imagination to dream up (or nightmare up) every possible worst-case-scenario. We all do this. When we are preparing for something challenging or new or uncomfortable, we attempt to seize control through planning. Before a tough meeting with our boss, we ruminate on all the things he might critique about our work. Before a tough conversation with a spouse, we imagine all of the possible counter arguments he or she might have prepared. With the zeal of doomsday preppers we try to have a plan for everything. We (falsely) believe if we can think of everything that could possibly go wrong, then we can overcome whatever life throws at us.

Yet, there’s a deeper problem. Not only does anxiety rob us of joy by overly concerning us with everything that could go wrong, it begins to warp our very selves, our core identity, our souls.

This is no way to live. What if there was another way? What if anxiety didn’t have to always be at the controls, behind the proverbial wheel of our consciousness. What if—pardon the cliché—Jesus took the wheel? What if Jesus had something to say about our anxiety?

Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
– Matthew 6:25

The word for “anxious” in the original language means a deep concern, focus or fixation. Let me say that again: a deep concern, focus or fixation. Like an idol, it’s anything we focus or fixate on more than Jesus.

Instead of allowing our minds and imaginations to be clouded by scarcity and fear-based mentalities, Jesus invites us to consider a different way of thinking. Jesus illustrates God’s generous provision with two elegantly simple parts of his creation: birds and wildflowers.

Jesus encourages us to “consider the birds of the air” and the “lilies of the field” as models of trust in God. These beautiful creations do not need complicated infrastructures to survive—no supply chain management, no logistics, no fertilizer or pest control. It is no coincidence that Jesus references birds of the air, since birds and fish are the first animals that God blesses to be “fruitful and multiply” in Genesis 1:22. Jesus is painting a picture of the Garden of Eden and how creation was in perfect harmony before it was marred by sin and death.

Jesus makes another interesting comparison between wildflowers and clothes. In his day, just as it is now, clothes were a marker of honor and status. Today, serious businesspeople and news anchors wear suits. Starving artists and college students wear tattered and drab clothing. Not only is there an economic factor involved in clothing (this whole section of the Sermon on the Mount is about our heart-level relationship with money), but there’s also a deeper struggle of “keeping up appearances.” And nothing is more teenager than keeping up appearances.

Back to “Inside Out 2.” The inner voice within Riley constant rings out what she believes about herself, her personal mantra and motto: “I’m a good person.” This works for a while, but eventually this facade comes crumbling down. In our journey of “hugging our cactus” we usually call this the “crisis moment” where our “glittering image” gets shattered into a thousand pieces.

“I’m a good person” becomes “I’m not good enough.”

This struggle with being enough is at the heart of the human condition and at the heart of the Gospel. Ironically, this place of desperation and helplessness is right where God wants us to be. Indeed, we aren’t good enough. It’s why we need Jesus. Jesus is good enough and died in our place, taking on the punishment we deserved. In short, Jesus lived the perfect life so that we don’t have to. When we rest in and trust in Jesus, slowly but surely a peace begins to pervade our souls as we begin to say,

“I’m enough—in Him.”

So how do we fight anxiety, or at least learn to be at peace with its quirks and baggage?

I wish there were a simple answer. Prayer helps. Community and encouraging friends help. Sometimes medicine and therapy help (they’ve helped me). But the thing that’s helped me the most is doing my best to focus on today and follow the AA mantra, “take it one day at a time.” Jesus speaks similar wisdom at the end of this same passage in Matthew.

Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
–Matthew 6:34 (ESV)

Let anxiety and the future worry about themselves. Tell them to “leave me out of it! I want nothing to do with your toxic whirlpool of chaos! I got enough stuff going wrong today. I don’t need anything else to worry about.” In short, be patient and pragmatic about yourself. Don’t expect too much progress and certainly avoid goals that resemble perfection—avoid them like the plague. Let other people pretend and be pretentious. Being real and realistic is what this cactus journey is all about. Let me leave you with one last delightful quote…

Have patience with all things—but first with yourself. Never confuse your mistakes with your value as a human being. You are perfectly valuable, creative, worthwhile person simply because you exist. And no amount of triumphs or tribulations can ever change that.
–Saint Frances de Sales