Over the past several weeks, I have been dealing with some anger issues. A number of good ideas for this column are sitting in my inbox because I was focused on my anger. Most of my anger centered on The Episcopal Church General Convention in Anaheim, California held in mid-July. Personally, I side with the one third who voted conservatively.
So what has changed? I woke up
this morning with the words Father John gave me back in college: Worry about
the things you can change. If you can't change it, don't worry about it.
Think about that for a minute. Do you spend time and energy worrying about things over which you have no control? Did it help? If so, you are better than I am.
I am a very detail oriented person and in some areas, a perfectionist. These traits served me well in the business world for thirty years but only over things I could change. Fortunately, most of my changes were for the better, but not all of them.
I had no part in sending a man to the moon, but I watched Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on television when they went. I played no role in the Paris peace talks ending the Viet Nam War, but I benefited from their success. I did nothing to free the fifty-two hostages from Iran, but I had plastic yellow ribbons tied to my outside mirrors for months after their release.
I ran into Father John a few years back and thanked him for his advice. He was stunned to think I remembered his exact words after so many years. Such is a reminder about the seeds we sow.
So where does Jesus fit into this
meditation? In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, So do not worry about
tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is
enough for today.
(Matthew 6:34 NRSV)
We live in a very stressful world and times have been tough recently. Some have real reasons to worry about the basics of food, clothing, and shelter. Having been there, all I can tell you is to hold onto your faith. The worse things get, the tighter you must hold. The Father will provide you with the things you cannot change.
Do you worry about things you cannot change?
Grace and peace in the power of the Holy Spirit.
(J. Wesley McComb is a published author and a member of Christ Episcopal Church, 1534 7th St, Slidell, 643-4531.)
© by The Slidell Independent newspaper; originally published on August 13, 2009. Used by permission of publisher and author.