Yesterday I gave some examples of the chopped up human person, showing how some models of change elevate some parts (usually the cognitive reasoning abilities) of humanity while ignoring others (usually the emotional and biological). There could be LOTS more examples, but let's look at a WHOLE PERSON response to a problem. What might that look like?
Let's return to our anxiety problem. The wholly integrated person might approach it this way:
-I am anxious. I acknowledge what is true, not running from it, hiding it, or trying to will it away. I am living honestly with what I see in me. I become curious, and I start down a path of seeking to see whatever God wants to show me through my struggle with anxiety. He is with me on this journey.
-I don't know why I'm anxious exactly, but I'd like to understand more. I bringing my concerns to God (relational,spiritual), asking Him to show me what is going on in me.
-I seek others who know me (relational) and asking for their input and prayers (coming to God together.) This could be a LONG process! Along the way, there are stories to tell, losses to grieve, and perhaps forgiveness to seek and to offer.
-I want my life to line up to His word, and I want my mind to be renewed by truth. I choose (thinking/willing) to put true things into my mind, and ask God to make them true as He is changing me to be more like Him. This is not a magical process. I see and acknowledge where I'm not living in freedom and invite Him to enter there. But along the way I realize that He is the one who invited ME to know Him more as I wrestle with anxiety. He is in charge of my growth process; I'm not.
-I am paying attention to my body. I felt panicky yesterday. I couldn't sleep last night. My brain won't shut off. Today my neck is as stiff as a post. I recognize that how I'm feeling in my body is connected to my emotions. I bring all of this to God, not just asking for Him to take away my physical pain, but seeing how my body is telling the same story as my emotions, my spirit, and my mind.
-These steps don't belong in a certain order, and I might revisit them over and over. Anxiety might be a struggle my entire life, and the more I understand about my own heart and story, the more I know why.
My mind, heart, body, emotions, will, spirit, thinking, feeling, choosing, relating... all are an integrated whole of what makes me ME.
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1 comment:
Traci - i like your working through the anxiety problem from the different angles - i am wondering if you are shaping thoughts as to how to lead people to these different areas and if you have practices that will help in that process - Brian B
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