Hajja Salesjana

humbling ourselves, and casting our anxieties on God? Peter puts his finger on a particular vulnerability Satan goes after: our anxieties, which drive us from God and community and towards ourselves. When we deal with our stress and fear through pride, Satan is at our heels. When we’re anxious, it doesn’t feel like our biggest temptation is to be proud. We feel laid low. And yet do you see how anxious remarks can be subtle forms of pride? Take this one: “There is no one who loves me for me.” Is anyone omniscient? Do you see the judgment in the statement? The speaker stands over those who attempt to love him and declares their compassion lacking. By believing no one else is able to understand or help in our struggles, we arrogate to ourselves a superhero status. We respond to overwhelming anxieties with the foolish belief that if we just buckle down—or just try this one other thing—we will be able to solve our problem. They can’t possibly help. Don’t Fight Alone When we become curved in on ourselves, we play right into the Devil’s hand. His tactics are simple: separate the struggling from the flock by enticing them to respond to sin and anxiety alone, with pride, not with Christ and the community. When I was a boy, I loved playing basketball. I had a knack for rebounding and wasn’t the worst shot, but my ball-handling skills were lacking. I dreaded playing teams that would defend us with a full-court press. The coach would shift me to the backcourt to help us break the press. When the defense collapses on you, the universal temptation is to stop dribbling and pull the ball into your stomach to protect it. It’s the worst thing you can do. Dribble out of the trap, or better yet, pass out of it. Whatever you do, don’t drop your head and clutch the ball for dear life. So it is when anxiety strikes. We can be tempted to withdraw and isolate as we try to work our way out of our mess. Are you anxious today? Lift your head up. First look to God, and then look to his family. The power of the belief that we’re alone traps us in shame. It sucks us into the belief that we can get ourselves out of our messes. Break the cycle. Cry out to God. Call your priest. Connect with a trusted Christian friend. Contact a counsellor. You are never alone. Photo by Jessica Favaro on Unsplash.com 7 Jannar - Marzu 2023 hajja