Issue 062
Maybe you just feel uneasy; you don’t know why; it’s a vague sense of discomfort. Or maybe you know what you’re worried about. You don’t need to search your mind – it looms large in your brain. Either way, you’re anxious at work.
Some psychologists divide anxiety into two types: the first, they call trait anxiety. This describes how anxious you are generally. It’s a kind of resting level of worry – a permanent ‘heart condition’. It’s about your own personality and characteristics.
The second is called state anxiety. This describes how you are at this point in time. It has to do with today’s worry – your current ‘state’ of mind. And of course we take both of these to work with us.
There are even questionnaires to investigate how anxious you are, and from such questionnaires, coping strategies are designed.
Paul had a coping strategy, which he recommended to the Philippians. It had to do with thanksgiving, prayer, and requests; it included thinking about good things.
So what are you worried about at work? Is it vague or specific? General or acute? Trait or state? Paul claims that the result of his coping strategy will be that your heart and your mind will be guarded by the peace of God. So you can have a guard on your permanent ‘heart condition’ (your trait anxiety) and on your current ‘state’ of mind.
This email comes at a time of global uncertainty. This uncertainty affects us all personally, professionally and nationally. Nevertheless Paul’s slogan was “Don’t be anxious about anything”- not because we are out of touch but because we are in touch with a God who deals with us personally, professionally , nationally and for that matter globally.
Philippians. 4:4-9
4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things. 9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me–put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
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Work well
Geoff Shattock
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