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Then I read the prayer... Well heck, she could have dedicated it to me. She used words like trap, scurrying and bunched up, stew, and knotted. The words were so familiar to my heart. And from what I gather in talking to others, I am not alone.
This struck a chord not to condemn me or make me feel bad about how I sometimes react. It moved me to ask, “God what do you want me to know, about me and about you, through these words and phrases?” God is kind and good and trustworthy my friends.
As you say this prayer, pay attention to the words that jump out or linger in your mind or on your tongue. Ask God to show you why those words and phrases are lingering. Sit with them. Even (especially!) the difficult ones, not with judgment but in the light of God’s love and grace and kindness.
Dear God,
you who did not invent tizzies,
be with me when I get caught
in the wild worrying of my mind,
and the needless scurrying around
in my fearful heart.
Trip me up when I fret and stew
so I can see the trap of tizzies,
with their schemes to keep me
bunched up in stress and strain.
Let me fall headfirst into the truth
of your never-ending presence,
wrap your kind arms around me
and calm my doubts and fears.
Shout loudly in my spiritual ear
when my nerves get knotted,
my mind feels cramped,
and my stomach screams.
It may be difficult,
but do try to get my full attention,
because tizzies are not healthy,
and they definitely chase peace
out the front door of my heart.
Dear God, you did not invent tizzies,
I did,
and only I can send them on their way,
and I will,
if you strengthen me
to let go of my anxious hold
on what is nonessential.
-Joyce Rupp
Peace,
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