Comments On The Dumbest Article I've Ever Read.


                               By Phil Scovell


     Subject: LIMITING ANXIOUS FEELINGS.

          The Author said, When I'm facing such situations, I try to follow
     the six steps  described below to limit  my anxious feelings.

          First, state  the problem.  A problem well stated is half solved.
     In  anxious states of mind, people can't see the forest for the trees.
     Put the  problem in  perspective.   Will it  matter for  eternity? The
     danger  at this  juncture is to  seek ungodly  counsel.  The  world is
     glutted with  magicians  and sorcerers  who   will promise  incredible
     results.   Their appearance may be striking.  Their personality may be
     charming.  But  they are bankrupt of  character.  Avoid them.   (Psalm
     1:1).

     Step Number 1 Comments.

          What if you  don't know the  identity of the  problem or what  is
     even causing   it in  the first place?   What if  you are lost  in the
     middle of  an endless   ocean of  mixed emotions  instead a  forest of
     trees as he suggests?   If a tree falls in  the forest and you  aren't
     there to hear it, does it make a noise?  I hope he isn't suggesting we
     confess the problem rather than Jesus as the Solver of all problems.

          He said, Second, separate the  facts from the assumptions.  Since
     we don't  know  what's going to happen tomorrow, we  make assumptions,
     and we usually  assume the worst.   If the  assumption is accepted  as
     truth, it will  drive your mind to its anxiety limits.  Therefore, you
     must separate assumptions from facts.

     Step Number 2 Comments.

          What if you don't know the facts  about what you face and you are
     unawares of  how to determine the facts?  Does this mean your mind has
     therefore been stretched to the outer limits of anxiety and so you now
     must be mentally ill?

          He  said, Third, determine what you  have the right or ability to
     control.  You are responsible for that  which you can control, and you
     are not responsible  for that which you can't.  Don't try to cast your
     responsibility onto Christ; He will throw it back.

     Step Number 3 Comments.

          Meanie Jesus.  Tossing back what you  cannot bear?  This ain't no
     Heavenly ball game we  are playing; it's life.  Control?   How can you
     control  uncontrollable  circumstances  that  slam  into  you  without
     warning?  How about the sudden death of a loved  one for example?  Did
     he ever think of that?   How about a loved one who has  cancer and has
     been given six months  to live?  What if you get a  call in the middle
     of  the night and your son, who was  on his way to visit his sister in
     Wichita, was changing a flat tire  and was struck and instantly killed
     by a passing vehicle?  What if you are 12 years old and just found out
     you have no father,  to speak of, and the one who  is your real father
     is living the rest of his life in the state prison?  What if you can't
     control even your own thoughts?  This guy obviously has never had that
     experience or he  wouldn't say such  a stupid thing.   Where is  Jesus
     when you need  Him the most?  This guy certainly doesn't know.

          He said, Fourth,  list everything you can do  which is related to
     the  situation that is  under your responsibility.  When  people don't
     assume their   responsibility, they turn to temporary  cures for their
     anxiety, like eating, TV, sex or drugs.

     Step Number 4 Comments.

          What  he  means  is, you  aren't  worth  spit as  far  as  God is
     concerned  because    you  won't  take  responsibility  for  your  own
     problems.  In  short, God  doesn't   care if  you are  trapped by  the
     anxiety that you should  be able to handle  on  your own in  the first
     damn place.  Besides, he left out eating chocolate and TV dinners.

          He  said,  Fifth, once  you  are  sure  you have  fulfilled  your
     responsibility, see if there is any way you can help others.   Turning
     your attention  away from your   own self-absorption and  onto helping
     people  around you is  not only the  loving thing  to do, but  it also
     brings a special inner  peace.

     Step Number 5 Comments.

          This  is the old standard come  back, everybody else is worse off
     than  you.    So run  right  out  into the  traffic,  find  a freaking
     volunteer job, help  others, and it will make you feel so much better,
     you'll forget  all about   your  fears and  anxieties which God  isn't
     interested in helping you with in  the first place, dummy.

          Finally, he said, Sixth, the rest is God's responsibility, except
     for   your prayer, according  to Philippians 4:6-8.   So assume   your
     responsibility, but cast your anxiety on Christ.

     Step Number 6 Comments.

          The rest  is up to who?  You just were told in five, and possibly
     six, steps,   how to manage your own freaking anxiety problems without
     God's help at all.  Why  would you now even think to pray if you don't
     need  God to help you in the   first place.  Where did Jesus, the Holy
     Spirit, and  the Bible go in these  six steps in the first place?  I'm
     just glad he didn't have  10 steps, or 47 steps, or 685  steps.  Maybe
     that's the holy version and this is just the practical, and secular, 6
     steps version.

     This  has  been a  slightly  cynical response  to one  of  the dumbest
     Christian  advice articles I have read in years.  By the way, in my 50
     years plus walk with  the Lord, I have tried every single one of these
     things many times and they don't freaking work so  get a life and stop
     showing everybody how little you know about anxiety of any kind.

     Phil, Know It all, Scovell.


     Safe Place Fellowship
     Phil Scovell
     Denver, Colorado
     Mountain Time Zone
     Phone:  303-507-5175
     WWW.SafePlaceFellowship.COM

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