Interview Series with Bishop Todd Hunter
(Led by Fr. Kevin Miller)
Part 1 of 5:
Q: You frequently talk about being a “non-anxious presence” in the world. What are your recommendations for people in this time of heightened anxiety?
Bishop Todd Hunter:
The unknown is a heavy weight that is a constant part of human life. One study from last week showed that:
· 100% of surveyed Americans agree they’ll snap if stay-at-home orders last longer than six months.
· 1 in 4 adults have already reached their wits’ end.
· Top breaking point issues are loneliness, frequent arguments with loved ones, constant anxiety.
Regarding anxiety, the first consideration for many Christians is this: Try not to compound anxiety with guilt or shame or hiding/isolating. Most experiences of anxiety are not sinful. They are simply human reactions to life that we bring to our wise, gracious, loving Father as we seek to cultivate an inner self in which anxiety doesn’t rule us. What we do want to shoot for is not being controlled by anxiety. This is possible because as human beings we are not merely our emotions. Our thoughts, wills and soul can be brought to bear in helping us deal maturely with feelings such as anxiety. I am aware that there are cases in which anxiety has underlying causes that require medication and therapy, but that cannot be tackled in this space.
The better path to peace is simple to ask, with a faith-filled, child-like attitude: “God, why am I feeling this way?” Then gently begin to pull things back until you get to the underlying cause. When you do, you will find God waiting there with a smile, and with deliverance little-by-little, day-by-day.
It is astounding to me that some of the best biblical advice on dealing with anxiety comes from Peter. Peter who:
· Was filled with so much anxiety he denied knowing the Lord;
· Whose anxiety overflowed in odd ways on the Mount of Transfiguration
· Who in the midst of a storm, joined the other disciples in anxiously accusing Jesus: “Lord, don’t you care that we are about to drown?”
“Don’t you care…” Think about those words again. Consider that they came from very same person who wrote: Cast all your anxiety on Jesus because he cares for you… (1 Peter 5.7) Apparently, the three occasions listed above, along with being forgiven and redeployed in the famous beach scene in John 21, taught Peter something about what one does in the grip of serious anxiety: cast it upon Jesus.
Peter’s thought seems to be: take any affliction, difficulty, hardship, misfortune, trouble, or complicated circumstance and toss it out of your hands and on to Jesus. Let it go!
Why? Because Jesus has the characteristic strength and wisdom to be completely competent love for us. “He cares” means that he takes an interest in us. Jesus is attentive. He has regard for us. Peter seems to think that anxiety is banished in favor of a revelation into the reality of being cared for--and an invitation to a new kind of life in which worry is unnecessary…the knowing that it does not add anything good to life (Matthew 6).
Lastly, the notion that “he cares for you” is crucial. Jesus’ care is not an abstract notion. It is a deeply personal experience of knowing a specific, personal kind of care. This is why Peter, apparently an expert on anxiety, does not tell us to stuff anxious feelings, and just get on with life. He knows such an approach to anxiety will pop out in behaviors that make life even harder. Instead, Peter is inviting us to notice what we are going through, and to peacefully and faithfully name the anxiety associated with it in the midst of Jesus, who cares for us.
One last thing—and I can’t say much about it, but: commonly, we cannot get at anxiety directly. We also must train other aspects of our being through the wise, grace-based use of appropriately chosen spiritual disciplines and with the help of a spiritual director or a mature spiritual friend.
If you find yourself struggling in these days of uncertainty, perhaps we could begin with contemplating a simple thought: God is here with us. He is not surprised by what is happening in the world. He created and sustains the whole cosmos. This means he has shoulders and a heart big enough that you can cast your cares/anxieties upon him. He is utterly capable love. He is able and ready to help…thus the invitation to let our worries and fears go.
Now, before you set this article down, simply rest a moment in God’s presence. Let his grace settle and strengthen you - let Him give you what you need today to non-anxiously be and do in the manner of Jesus.
Photo Credit: c4so.org