Panic by Dave Posey
(Reprinted from Focus Magazine: http://www.focusmagazine.org)
Is the Bible relevant? When God's word says, "casting all your anxiety on Him, for He cares for you" (I Peter 5:7), does God mean for us to really cast our concerns on Him? Or are passages like that just a crutch to help us get through the day? The following story illustrates my conviction that God is serious when He gives advice like this.
There were times when I didn't think I could stay upright while singing the last hymn before the sermon I was to preach. I was so lightheaded and dizzy that I had to grip the back of the pew in front of me to keep from falling over. At night, the pain in my chest was frightening and I felt a loneliness that I had rarely felt during married life. Though a mere lad of 37 years old, I felt I must be suffering from some major disease and it was probably "all over but the shoutin.'" After all, a casual glance at a book of medical problems confirmed that I had most of the symptoms of several major maladies (since then, I'm reminded of Mark Twain's similar problem and his remark that, "I almost died of a misprint!").
Yet, $1,000 of co-payments and several trips to the doctor proved that there was nothing physically wrong with me, other than a little controllable hypertension. Beyond that, zilch. Zero. Healthy as the proverbial horse. "You get a clean bill of health from me," said Dr. Blinn. But what did he know? I was still feeling miserable.
The problem was "stress," although I didn't feel "stressed"; in fact, I was very satisfied with my life at that point. I just quit the stressful insurance business and was fully engaged in my first love: preaching full-time. My marriage was good, my kids were great - all was right with the world, except for this dizziness, these chest pains, these feelings of doom and impending demise.
Though it pains me still to admit it, I was experiencing what doctors call "anxiety attacks." I resisted that diagnosis because I knew well Paul's admonition to "be anxious for nothing…" As a new preacher, I could ill-afford to violate such a clear warning. Yet, telling myself that I shouldn't be having these episodes did nothing to help; it only made it worse.
I tried attending a stress relief class at Kaiser, and therein found the straw that broke the camel's back. I sat there in a dimly lit room with a group of stressed out executives listening to an RN say in a calm, soothing voice: "Relax. . .just close your eyes and breathe easy and relax…relax…"
I was going nuts! If I sat there another minute I felt I would explode. I got up and scurried out of the room.
The camel's spine completely shattered now, I decided denial was done-for; I had to get a handle on this. So, I did what I do… I began reading everything I could find on anxiety (or panic) attacks. I was amazed at what I learned. I learned that it is a common problem among people of all ages, from pre-teens to senior citizens. I was feeling better already; there's something about sharing problems "in community" that makes it easier (that's Paul's rationale in I Cor. 10:13, "no temptation has overtaken you except as is common to man...").
I also learned that panic attacks frequently occur about a year after a particularly stressful time in one's life. That was true of me: I traced it back to the year before, when I worked for the insurance company while also doing full-time preaching for the church in Manteca. I desperately wanted only to preach, but the church didn't have the funds, so I remained with the insurance company. There, I felt a strong obligation to perform at my previous level in sales, yet my heart wasn't in it. That stress apparently didn't manifest itself until a year after I left the insurance business.
This was good information, but when it came to offering a solution to the problem every book I read had a different plan of attack. Some of them didn't appeal to me at all, and even offended my understanding of God's will, such as suggestions to begin transcendental meditation. I wasn't in any mood to "Ooohhhmmm. . ." myself out of stress.
Others were just some variation of new age nonsense. Some were just too complicated, or involved giant investments of time and money, neither of which I had at that point in my life.
There was one thing, however, that all the authors seemed to agree on. They all said that the first thing you must do is to identify the problem and call it what it is: a panic attack. They suggested getting a complete physical to rule out physical illness. Then, each time you experience the "symptoms," you must say: "this is a panic attack, nothing more, nothing less."
This is more difficult than it sounds, especially for men. At 37, I was still pretty active athletically - I was skiing and playing softball almost obsessively. To admit I was suffering from what is fundamentally a psychosomatic condition was extremely difficult. I thought I should be above that kind of thing. But until I called it what it was, there was little hope of recovery. I had to learn to swallow my pride. Looking back on it, that was probably the best lesson of all.
The symptoms continued, but each time I named them as a manifestation of a panic attack. I then did something else that was crucial to my recovery - I reread Philippians 4:6-7 and I Peter 5:7, and tried to implement what the apostles were saying there. I began to pray more, and let go more. It wasn't very long before the attacks became much less severe, and eventually vanished completely. I Peter 5:7, I learned, was talking directly to me: quit trying to micromanage everything! Cast your burdens on the Lord.
Let's recap, because there's a spiritual lesson here for all of us.
First, those who have anxiety attacks experience real pain, and have real concerns. My symptoms were in my mind, but the mind is a remarkable instrument and what I felt, though psychosomatic, was real. I have since learned to be a little more longsuffering with those who suffer only imagined illness.
Second, it is important to rule out any true physical cause of the problems. It would be unwise to assume that the pain is just "in your head." Put your mind at ease with a complete exam.
Third, we must identify the symptoms as an anxiety attack. Still, we will experience the pain and feelings of doom, but we've made a major step toward recovery.
Fourth, we will consciously apply Paul's words, "be anxious for nothing" by saying, when the episode begins, "so what? If I die, I die." That eases the mind and prevents us from giving undue attention to the problem.
Fifth, we literally cast our anxiety on the Lord (1 Pet. 5:7). This is nothing less than applied faith.
Human-oriented approaches will fail. Why? Because they are merely pragmatic solutions, not spiritual. Pragmatism (doing something only because we think it "works") is a poor substitute for faith. But anxiety is a spiritual problem and the only way to handle spiritual problems is to consciously rely on God.
Perhaps the best illustration of that is when it occurred to me to say, "so what if I die?" That's a God-ward thought instead of man-ward. I'm a Christian. If I die, I go to be with God, forever. "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints" (Psa. 116:15).
Perhaps you've experienced panic attacks. It's no fun. It makes
you miserable, no matter what else is happening in your life at
the time. But there's hope and peace
in God and it comes by ". . . casting all your anxiety on
Him because He cares for you" (I Peter 5:7)
The Plaque - Author Unknown (Contributed by R. Yopp)
One Sunday morning, the preacher noticed little Alex was staring up at the large plaque that hung in the foyer of the church. The plaque was covered with names, and small American flags were mounted on either side of it.
The seven-year old had been staring at the plaque for some time, so the preacher walked up, stood beside the boy, and said quietly, "Good morning Alex."
"Good morning preacher," replied the young man, still focused on the plaque.
"Preacher McGhee, what is this?" Alex asked. "Well, son, it's a memorial to all the young men and women who died in the service."
Soberly, they stood together, staring at the large plaque. Little Alex's voice was barely audible when he asked, "Which service, the 9:30 or the 10:30?"
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
* Deciding not to choose Jesus is still making a choice.
* God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called.
* Read the Bible - It will scare the hell out of you.
* If God is your co-pilot - swap seats.
* God loves knee-mail
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BIBLE INSIGHT is published for the members of, and
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Carey Dillinger is the editor. He can be reached at the church
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