Dodger: Hi! How's school been? I think everyone we know has started by now. Are you enjoying it? I'm glad you're hanging out with us today. It's neat when you come. Right, Lilly?
Lilly: Huh? Oh, yeah, sure.
Dodger: Lilly!
Lilly: What?
Dodger: You just made it sound like you don't care that our friend is here!
Lilly: I did? Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry! I was just thinking about some stuff and Dodger was talking and I wasn't really listening and then you came by and I was still worried and--
Dodger: Whoa! Hold on! What's going on, Lilly? You're racing around your thoughts randomly and not making any sense.
Lilly: I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to be illogical. It was just me trying to get my thoughts out and I wasn't sure how to say it and I suppose now I've made a horrible mess and--
Dodger: Stop! Lilly! Breathe! You're stressing out for no reason!
Lilly: I...am?
Dodger: Yes. What's eating at you? You're not usually this tense.
Lilly: To be honest, I've been stressing out about a bunch of different things.
Dodger: Really? I couldn't tell until just now, actually.
Lilly: Well, I only really stress when I have time to just sit and think.
Dodger: Well, what's the matter?
Lilly: To be honest- I'm not sure. It's kind of a weird feeling that I'm not getting enough stuff done, combined with a more pressing feeling that I'm not representing God well, combined with an even more pressing feeling that I'm somehow failing Him and there's nothing I can do to fix it and even though I'm praying, I still feel stressed. It's kind of exhausting.
Dodger: Well, the first thing to do is realize that God has got you in His hands and He's not disappointed in you. The second thing is to pray even if you have done that so far. So let's do it together. You first.
Lilly: Um, okay. ... ... ... I... that is... OH, I CAN'T DO IT!
Dodger: Yes you can. Just tell God what is on your mind.
Lilly: Okay. God, I'm panicking right now without knowing why. I need Your help and peace right now, because I feel sad and stressed. I know You love me, but I feel like I'm not very close to You. Moreover, my emotions change so much. Sometimes I feel really close and other times I feel a million miles away. I need to know, God, that I'm doing better than I think, and I'd really like to feel like You're proud of me. Please help Me, God. I want to stop stressing. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Dodger: Yes, God. Lilly is precious to You and You love her very much. She's not perfect. No one is, but You're working in her in ways she can't see yet. Right now she may not be feeling great, but that doesn't mean You've given up on her. You are amazing, and loving, and You will never fail. Just because she feels bad doesn't mean she is. She's Yours, God. Please remind her of that. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Lilly: Thanks. I do feel a little better now
Dodger: You're welcome. You know, you're not the only person I've seen this happen to.
Lilly: I'm not?
Dodger: No way. It happens to all of us. Sometimes it makes us pretty panicky. It's the result of trying to do everything perfectly, even when we do it for God. I have two names for it. One is "Spiritual Anxiety Attack" and the other is "Putting Your Focus on You".
Lilly: The first one makes sense, but I don't get the second one. What's wrong with focusing on trying to get better?
Dodger: I didn't say there was anything wrong with getting better. It's the "trying" part and the missed focus that bother me.
Lilly: What?
Dodger: Trying to get better is not how we're supposed to serve God. He is working in us to make us better. Sometimes, though, we forget that, and try to get better and do everything right on our own. I've tried it, but Lilly, serving God is more than a "do-this" and "do-that" procedure. God's alive in us, a Father Who sees us as way more than just tools! Sometimes, though, in our effort to be more like Him, we make so much noise that it's hard to hear Him. Even if we try to listen hard, sometimes we don't know if we're doing a good job. In other words, we get so obsessed with getting better that we forget about all that God has done in our lives and all that He's doing. Lilly, I'm just going to look at three verses from Scripture today. They should help out.
Lilly: Sounds great.
Dodger: Psalm 46 begins and almost ends on these two awesome notes:
"God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear,
Even though the earth be removed,
And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;...
Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!" (Psalm 46:1-2, 10, NKJV)
The other one is Hebrews 12:2. I know we mention that all the time around here, but it's still true. Here it is:
"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (NIV1984)
Lilly: Why those verses in particular?
Dodger: Because, Lilly, they remind us that God is someone we can turn to in the midst of trouble, and that Jesus is in charge of our faith, not us. They also remind us to be still and remember Who God is. Jesus died and rose to make us free. We are supposed to be in relationship with God, and that does not mean trying to make ourselves better. It means letting God train us to be better. By putting our improvement in His hands, we know that He will get us where He wants us. We don't have to do that alone.
Lilly: So I don't need to worry about trying to be better? That's somewhat difficult to believe.
Dodger: It does seem a bit strange at first, but I don't want to sound like I'm saying we shouldn't want to get better. What I'm saying is that God will make us better. We can't make ourselves better, and that's okay.
Lilly: So...God works in us and through us, but that doesn't mean that we measure our progress by how we're doing or feeling?
Dodger: Right. God sees the big picture of your life. Let Him handle it.
Lilly: Okay. Thanks, Dodger.
Dodger: We all need encouragement sometimes. That's part of life, and it's not bad. That makes sense considering we can see so much of it in the Bible.
Lilly: I'm just glad God is in charge.
Dodger: Me too. It looks like we have to get going again. Remember, Jesus loves you, and that's not about to change!
Lilly: Until next time!
(NKJV Means New King James Version)
(NIV1984 Refers to the 1984 copyright of the New International Version)
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