Running Scared Chapter Twelve
Grace for Tomorrow

If anxiety and worry thrive on the unknown future, the promise of future grace is the believer’s peace. That’s the chapter in a nutshell.

Anxiety asks for more information so it can be prepared for the coming apocalypse. It also asks for more information so it can manage the world apart from God. Worry and anxiety think that more information will help. The truth, of course, is that it won’t (pp. 137-138).

Welch argues that what calms anxiety in the present will also work for worry that looks ahead. Jesus cure for worry in the now was a kingdom focus where the love of the King is our delight and we search for ways to express that love to others. The cure for anxiety about the future is to believe that God’s grace will be sufficient to sustain our kingdom mission.

The grace that we may count on for tomorrow will not shield us from experiencing hardship. If you get in the car accident you dread, you will have grace to know that God is with you, and you will have grace to bear fruit even in that difficult situation. If your loved one dies before you, you will have grace to know God’s comfort and to shine brightly as you reflect your Father’s glory. If poverty knocks on your door, you will have grace to trust your King and know that poverty cannot detract from your privilege of being an ambassador who blesses others in his name (p.140). This grace does ensure that we will have what we need to sustain us.

Furthermore, this grace for tomorro’s need will be more than we can imagine today. We will fail if we project onto tomorrow, the grace that we have been given for today.

My own journey

This last thought was my take hom for the chapter. When I have anxiety about an upcoming situation, I should not be surprised that I cannot imagine today how God’s grace could be sufficient for that eventuality.

By learning my faith lessons today, I can prepare myself for the crises of tomorrow. But that preparation is not the skills of self-sufficiency, it is simply the instinct and ability to trust.

Running Scared Chapter Eleven
When the Kingdom Isn’t Enough

In 2Cor. 1:8, Paul writes: For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came [to us] in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life . . . How do you reconcile Paul’s experience with Jesus’ promise, seek first the kingdom and all these things will be added? That’s the subject of chapter 11. Of course, it is much more than the academic discussion of reconciling two biblical passages. It’s all about understanding our own doubts and fears in light of Jesus’ promise and the experience of life.

Did Paul forget Jesus words about worry? How did he reconcile Jesus’ observation about birds that are fed by the Father with his own history of hunger and near-death experiences? Just when you are willing to believe that God will care for your physical needs, you find that he was not speaking literally! (p.127)

Welch teaches that the provision we were promised is spiritual provision. He continues: “Now is the time to bury the myth that spiritual means intangible, something only for the by-and-by. The words of God to which Moses pointed, which was the strength Paul found from Christ alone, are spiritual in the sense that they are eternal. The contrast between earthly and spiritual is not a contrast between the tangible and the intangible; it is between the transitory and the eternal (p.127).

One more quote to round out what I believe the author is getting at:

The pattern is this: the Father genuinely cares about the daily needs of his children, and he is constantly caring for us, but he wants this to point us to something better. If we don’t find our life and strength in Jesus Christ, we will go from one worry to the next (p.131).

If I read Welch correctly, he is saying that God will provide physically for his children, but as they become more mature He will? / may? withhold physical provision in order to lead them to the spiritual manna. This spiritual manna is satisfying in the same sense (real, tangible, temporal) as any physical provision only more so.

My own journey

I feel like I’m constantly being yanked back into the kingdom of this world. I don’t want to be possessed by temporal things and I can take elementary steps of stewardship. But then I am forced to make decisions about taking care of my home, and planning for the future, and . . . and . . .

Still, the tension is mostly tolerable until I rub shoulders with people living more on the edge than myself. Then I strain to hear God’s voice and his will. The next step in generosity and stewardship seems like it’s off a cliff.

Discussion

What exactly does Jesus mean when He says, My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish he work (John 4:34)?

Running Scared Chapter Ten
The Message of the Kingdom

The author is still working with worry themes from the Sermon on the Mount. In the Sermon, he observes that seeking the kingdom is the antidote to worry. In this chapter then, he attempts to explain how seeking the kingdom combats fear.

Welch insists that with the arrival of Jesus the King, the kingdom is present. This kingdom is essentially God’s reign in the spiritual realm, right here and right now, where Jesus’ will is done. It is more real than the physical realm, but may seem elusive.

Any one of us can participate in this kingdom in a growing, expanding, progressive way as we submit to the rule of God in our lives. This spiritual kingdom is one in conflict, however. For that reason, while we enjoy the blessings of God’s kingdom, we also find ourselves engaged with Satan in battle.

Within this battle, worries are a way that we doubt the King’s presence and power. By contrast, the essence of faith . . . is that we choose sides: in whom do we trust? (p.120).

The expectation of the Christian should not be a dramatic elimination of all fear and worry, but small steps of faith. As this experience of the kingdom grows, so will our sense of security and peace.

My own journey

I believe that Welch’s explanation of the kingdom concept is oversimplified from a theological standpoint. However, I would concur with the application he derives from it for our present age.

The battle to overcome fear and worry must be fought on the spiritual plane. The tangible evidences of health and prosperity will never be substantial enough to banish fear.

Understanding my life within the larger context of God’s kingdom enables me to face the dangers of life from the perspective of ultimate victory.

Running Scared Chapter Nine
Do Not Worry

This chapter begins a section in Welch’s book entitled God speaks on money and possessions. The chapter brings Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (particularly Matthew 6:25-34) into the discussion. The author suggests that the Old Testament manna story, with its lessons, is a prequel to the Sermon on the Mount. Welch examines the passage phrase by phrase.

What is important? [The] new kingdom is so beautiful and important that it can override our worries about everyday concerns like food and clothing (p.106).

Your Father cares for the needs of the birds. Rather than rebuking us for our concern with physical needs, Jesus actually hears my myopic concerns and sets out to prove that our daily needs “our physical needs”are important to God (p.107).

You are more important than birds. Because we are uniquely made in God’s image, God has a unique interest in caring for us.

He clothes non-human creation in beauty. He will certainly do the same and more for you. The argument is that if God cares for these transient aspects of creation, won’t he care much more for children who share in his eternal kingdom? (p. 108).

O you of little faith. This is the essential question for all worriers: Whom do I trust?

Seek first his kingdom. When you seek the King, you are seeking the kingdom. Reorienting your life around the fact that God is in control of a kingdom that is His own not yours is key to resolving worry.

Therefore, don’t worry about tomorrow. The word tomorrow reminds us of the manna story. God takes responsibility for the big picture so we can function within the area of our own responsibility.

My own journey

I have a friend who regularly reminds me of the value of a good job description. His concern is not so much from the perspective of management; holding someone to their obligations. His perspective is how the job description frees an employee to focus on his/her own responsibilities and not become overwhelmed.

I can readily identify with trying to carry more responsibility than God intends. I can quickly feel pressure for results that are outside of my abilities, and outcomes that are beyond my control. Whenever I do, anxiety is near to hand.

Discussion

Work through the key phrases of Matthew 6:25-34 highlighted by Welch. Identify the significance of each phrase in relation to worry.

Running Scared Chapter Eight
Worry About Worry

Here’s a twist. Maybe worry itself is something to fear. Welch suggests that the repetition of God’s command not to worry indicates there is something dangerous in fear and worry in and of themselves.

To make his point, he appeals to Mark 4:14-20. This passage is Jesus’ explanation of His parable of the different kinds of soil. In the explanation, the threat to spiritual vitality comes from:

“Satan”
“the deceitfulness of wealth”
“the desires for other things”
“worries”

Here’s what’s wrong with worry according to the author: “Worry is focused inward. It prefers self-protection over trust. It can hear many encouraging words—even God’s words—and stay unmoved. It can be life-dominating. It is connected to your money and desires I that it reveals the things that are valuable to you. It can reveal that you love something more than Jesus. It crowds Jesus out of your life” (p.97).

My Own Journey

Worry is a threat, no doubt about it. It’s an important addition to our discussion, but it is not the truth that will set me free from worry. It seems kind of like saying, “You’ve got the flu. That won’t kill you. But the flu will lead to pneumonia—and that will.” Or, “I know you think your situation is bad, but it’s really worse than you think.”

The value of understanding worry’s place in this parable is that it helps me understand how worry prevents me from connecting to God’s Word of encouragement in a significant manner. With that understanding, the responsibility for my lack of courage rests with me, while the hope of God’s comfort and security remains fully alive.

Discussion
How does worry fit into the parable explained in Mark 4:14-20?
Is this encouraging or depressing? Why?
Are there any solutions suggested here?
How does worry in this passage relate to the fear of the Lord?

Running Scared Chapter Seven
The God of Suspense

“Deliverance is grand except for one thing: it isn’t deliverance unless it’s the eleventh hour. There first has to be some kind of danger for there to be deliverance. Such drama is fun to watch in movies and great to hear in other people’s stories, but we would prefer not to experience it in our own lives” (p.83). With this observation, Welch introduces another facet of God’s interaction with fearful people. The author hopes that our own experiences of the “eleventh hour” will evoke an eager awareness of God’s active presence.

Welch notes that God’s ordinary means of care is not deliverance at the last possible moment. God is always sustaining and providing. Quiet care is the rule. It is against this backdrop that the Bible does record God’s mighty acts in the nick of time. But the author wants to lead us to something he believes is even more dramatic: “As you read through Scripture, there is a gradual progression. Initially the deliverances are at the last minute. By the time of the New Testament, they are delayed to the point where even those who are tenacious in clinging to God have lost hope” (p.87).

Welch reminds us of the widow’s son who was resurrected, and of Lazarus, to show that after-the-fact deliverances are heralds of the real deliverance. “The ultimate deliverance was not our rescue from the jaws of death, because any temporal deliverance from death meant only that death was postponed. The real deliverance was the ‘death of death’ secured by the death of Jesus Christ” (p.88).

Welch acknowledges that the faith of Abraham and others like him (Heb. 11) was extraordinary. For most of us, deliverance is when the check comes in the mail with 15 minutes to spare. But these had reset their clocks so to speak. They still expected deliverance even when deadlines had passed.

Welch encourages us to examine our own experiences for evidence of a deeper deliverance that came after you went through the pain. “Those who imitate Abraham’s faith are always pushing the last minute farther out until it comes even after physical death. Such a person is fearless” (p.91).

My own journey

I like “nick of time” deliverances more than “after the fact” ones. That reveals a lack of trust in me and evidence that I stubbornly cling to the idea that I know what’s best. Only someone who is consistently confident in God’s providential care can cherish and be grateful for an “after the fact” deliverance. I want to be there.

Discussion

Can you identify times in your life when God’s deliverance was experienced on the other side of the trial?
Does “after the fact” deliverance count? What is true and necessary for it to count?
How is God’s glory at stake in differentiating between these kinds of deliverance?
What happens if we carry around a list of personal experiences when we perceive that God didn’t show up?

On the last Sunday of January, I interrupted our current sermon series to talk about how suffering affects the church. This initiative came from our Lay Pastors as we identified the number of people in our congregation being directly affected by some very painful circumstances. We concluded that Eagle Heights is experiencing God’s blessing in a season of suffering.

At the conclusion of that sermon I attempted to give some helpful advice for sharing the burden with our brothers and sister so that we, like Paul, could be “sorrowful, yet always rejoicing.” I’ll repeat those tips here for your review.

Immediately after those comments I’m going to include an article from Luanna. Luanna, of course is one of those in our congregation who is suffering patiently and faithfully.

Enjoy.

How to encourage:
What not to say– “It’s probably for the best.” “Things could be worse.” “You’re strong, you’ll get over it soon.” Or even better: “You think you’ve got it bad, I saw this new TV reality show called ‘worse case scenario and there was this guy . . . .”

• Remember we don’t want to try to glorify God by explaining when God wants to be glorified in concealing the matter. Don’t try to say something profound.
Joseph Bayly authored a book entitled, The Last Thing We Talk About. Joe and his wife Mary Lou lost three of their children. They lost one son following surgery when he was only 18 days old. Their second son died at age five from leukemia. They lost a third son at age 18 after a sledding accident. He writes, 

I was sitting, torn by grief. Someone came and talked to me of God’s dealings, of why it happened, of hope beyond the grave. He talked constantly; he said things I [already] knew were true. I was unmoved, except I wished he’d go away. He finally did. Another came and sat beside me for an hour and more; listened when I said something, answered briefly, prayed simply and left. I was moved. I was comforted. I hated to see him go
• Be very careful about saying “I understand.”
• Don’t offer unasked for advice.
• Offer simple, understanding statements that identify with your friend such as: “I feel for you during this difficult time.”
• Say “I’m sorry” but don’t stop there. Add, “I wish I could take the pain away” or something else that your friend can respond to.

How to quote the Bible:
What not to say– “Hey, guess what I read this morning in my quiet time? Man, this verse was perfect for you. Oh, by the way, I got you this coffee mug with a smiley face on one side and a picture of the cross on the other.” 

The Bible is not a band-aid. Do not go around sticking that favorite verse of yours on suffering believers, believing it will somehow eliminate their pain. Scripture is not aspirin for your suffering friends. Do not say, “Here, take two of these with a cup of tea in your new smiley face mug and call me in the morning.”

• Give up the idea that quoting Scripture will eliminate pain
• Don’t quote bible verses as a way to correct or minimize feelings (never offer spiritual suggestions from a position of superiority or self-righteousness)
• Don’t make promises on behalf of God
• Give spiritual encouragement from the heart and include Bible verses that have comforted you at a difficult time.

How to help:
What not to say– “You know I’m available anytime.” (Click) “Hey I’m really eager to help so if you’ll just make a list of things that someone could do for you, how you’d like them done, and when those things would be considered overdue, I’ll look over the list and pick a couple that I will work for me.”

• Begin with thoughtfulness. Ask yourself “What would I need/want in a similar situation?”
• Be aggressive without being pushy. Offer specific services that don’t create more work. “I’m on my way to the store. What can I pick up for you?” “Would the children like to come over and play this afternoon.”

How can we help? – Luanna Leichliter

This may sound a little odd but I am thankful for all of the times I wanted to help someone who was going through a difficult time, but didn’t. I felt awkward and inept. Fearing I would say or do something stupid, I did nothing. It is not that I didn’t care. I was clueless as to where to grab hold. So now that I am in need my feelings are not hurt if someone doesn’t come through for me as I might have hoped. I know they are good willed, they just don’t know what to do.

I would like to share a few things that I am learning. Any deed done or word shared out of a loving heart is good! “Above all, love one another deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:8) If you don’t know what would be most helpful, do something you would like someone to do for you. Ask if you can do a specific thing. “Would it be Ok if I came and cleaned your bathrooms?” When someone loves you it is not hard to open up and share what your needs really are and guide them to help in a really beneficial way. Don’t wait till someone is ill or going through some kind of crisis to be helpful. Two friends sorting boxes of pictures, painting a room, or organizing clutter eliminates the drudgery of the task and lifts the spirits like few things can. When you are struggling let someone know that you need help. Anyone you ask for help will feel honored that you felt free to ask. When they are in need they will be much more open to asking for help from you.

Scripture is good! Nothing binds up wounds, calms fear, comforts, or gives hope like the truth of the Word of God!! Which verses shall I share? Share passages or verses that are meaningful to you. “Praise be to the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” (2 Cor. 1:3-4)

Prayer is also good! It is a wonderful thing to be supported by the loving prayers of God’s people. “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” (James 5:16b) It is even more special to hear the prayers being spoken. A number of people pray with me over the phone, when they come to visit, or write their prayers in an e-mail. This is an amazing gift!

Running Scared Chapter Six
The Manna Principle

Welch writes: “The manna story is the story for all worriers.” In chapter six, he develops what the story of God’s provision for the Israelites has to say to we who fear in the 21st century.

True to his earlier advice, the author notes what the story says about God. Despite the grumbling of the people, God heard them (Ex. 16:9-12). God doesn’t hear because of the us or the quality of our prayers, He hears because He is the God Who Hears (Ps. 94:9)

When God hears, God delivers. “Every instance of God hearing is followed by his mighty acts” (p.74). Welch makes this interesting recommendation regarding prayer:

“Ask any Christian where he would like to grow and he or she will say, ‘I would like to pray more.’ As a remedy, some seek accountability or discipline themselves to pray and pray longer. A better strategy is to know God as the One Who Hears and remember the many stories of how he listens. Let it sink in that God is not like us. (p.74)”

“When God’s mighty acts are on display, it means he is near” (p.75). This will become one of the most common themes of comfort to God’s people. It means he is active, protecting, and comforting.

The author also observes that the story involves a test. The test can also be expected in our own experience. He explains that the purpose of the test is to help us see how our hearts harbor mixed allegiances. Seeing the truth about ourselves enables us to turn back to God. Welch explains how the test of gathering only enough manna for one day, and the test of not gathering on the Sabbath were uniquely designed to thwart our tendency toward independence. Trusting God for the future is the way to escape fear and worry, not trusting our own ability.

Welch concludes the chapter by showing that the physical food provided to the Israelites was only the beginning. It points to something even better. He seeks to demonstrate this by pointing out how Jesus used this story in His temptation, quoting Deut. 8:3 (“man does not live on bread alone”). “God’s deliverance is better than food, a clean medical scan, or having our candidate win the election. His deliverance means he will be with us; we will be able to withstand temptation without giving in to sin; and we will be able to stand firm even when attacked by our fiercest adversary, Satan the Accuser” (p.80).

My own journey
It’s so easy to disconnect from the stories we read in the Old Testament. I can consider the manna story a significant milestone in the Israelites’ journey with God without feeling its impact on my own journey. But that is a story about my Father. What the story highlights in my Father’s character is still true today. I want to do a better job of claiming that spiritual heritage (“I remember once when my Father heard people cry out in desperation . . .”). In particular, I hope that this will have the effect that Welch suggests in encouraging my prayer life.

Discussion
Welch says that the manna story is the story for worriers. Can you think of others?
What do the mixed allegiances in our hearts do to contribute to our experience of fear?
How can we grow spiritually to the point where God’s presence, and deliverance as He brings it means more than the outcome we naturally cherish (review p.80 quote)?

Running Scared Chapter Five
Do Not Be Afraid

With chapter five, Welch turns from observations about the experience of fear and worry to what God has to say on the subject. “Do not be afraid” is God’s most frequent command in the Bible, occurring over three hundred times.

The author wants us to be alert to the vast difference between our saying, “Don’t worry,” and when God says it. It’s encouraging to know that He doesn’t just say the words to get us off his back. The sheer repetition indicates that He knows how stubborn our fears can be and that He does not trivialize them. But the author is also realistic. “Perhaps the thing you dread has already hit you full force. Long ago you observed that those who worship God are not spared the horrors of life. With that in mind, ‘Do not be afraid’ sounds well-intentioned—maybe—but it doesn’t help much in real life” (p.62).

Welch suggests that fear is a strong emotion that claims to tell us how life really is, and that fear is impatient, demanding relief immediately. These are important to note because one of the first steps in combating fear and worry is to slow down (“Be still” Psa. 46:10). According to the author, “if fear slows down for a minute, it realizes that peace and rest can only reside in someone rather than something . . . “ (p.63). Welch proposes: “let fear point us to the knowledge of God, and let the Spirit of God, by way of Scripture, teach us the knowledge of God” (p.64).

God’s exhortation not to be afraid says something about God even before it says something to us. Welch references Luke 12:32 where Jesus says, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.” The passage is used to reveal God’s heart. What is demonstrated in this passage by the fact that God is “your Father,” that God is the King (“give you the kingdom”) and that God is generous?

Finally, the author addresses the question: “Is it wrong to worry or be afraid?” I like his answer. “Maybe, but put these questions on hold. The emphasis in Scripture is, ‘When I am afraid, I will trust in you’ (Ps. 56:3). The issue isn’t so much whether or not we are afraid and worry. Scripture assumes that we will be afraid and anxious at times. What is important is where we turn, or to whom we turn when we are afraid” (p.69).

My own journey
I’m going to record the author’s end-of-chapter prayer here, instead of my own thoughts. It serves well to express my own thoughts and desires.

“God, open my ears. I don’t clearly hear your care and compassion when you tell me not to worry or be afraid, but I know they are there.
Father, open my eyes. I act like I see all reality. I act like I can see even more than you do. But I am seeing now that there is an entire world that is blurry to me, and that world is you. It is you I don’t see well.
I want to trust in what you say and see the things you have revealed. That leaves me no choice but to start with humility. This is the way all journeys with you begin. Please teach me humility so that what you say overrules what I feel.”

Discussion
What tone do you hear when God says, “Do not be afraid?”
What inferences can you draw from Luke 12:32 about God’s command not to be afraid?
When is worry or fear a sin? Or when does it become a sin? Why is this question important?

Running Scared Chapter Four
Anxiety and Worry Chime In

In chapter four, Welch’s goal is to expand the discussion beyond particular fears to the more general outlook of worry. At the end of the chapter he quotes Freud to demonstrate the significance of worry as a window to the soul:

“There is no question that the problem of anxiety is a nodal point at which the most various and important questions converge, a riddle whose solution would be bound to throw a flood of light on our whole mental existence.”

The author’s approach is the same: examining the experience of worry will be more profitable than attempting to dismiss it. His first observation is that “worriers live in the future.” By this, he means that fear perceives present danger, while worry or anxiety is preoccupied with what may be ahead.

But worriers are always wrong according to Welch; at least in the specifics:

“Advanced worriers worry about everything, and if you worry about everything you will occasionally stumble upon an approximation to a a real event. Worry that someone you love will be in a car accident, and worry about that everyday—every hour—for a decade, and someday you might get a call fro9m a friend who needs a ride because her car battery went dead. This event will then justify every worry you ever had” (p.51).

Welch wants us to see this pessimistic vision casting in a different light. He refers to Deuteronomy 18:22 and the notoriously strict standard from the OldTestament on prophets. Miss once, and the prophet’s career was over. “Using this standard, worriers are certifiable false prophets” (p.52).

What value do we find in worrying? The author suggests these:
• If I imagine the worst, I will be more prepared for it?
• It expresses a deep sense of aloneness and helplessness.
• It gets attention.

Welch acknowledges that worriers are immune to reason and that simply renaming them false prophets will not provide the cure. These may slow us down enough, however to prompt some introspection. What does the worry say about me rather than the circumstances? What am I trusting? What about this poor track record I have for dire predictions?

My own journey

I’m certainly capable of worry, but I don’t think it characterizes me. Welch’s description of someone worrying about a car wreck, and then having that worry “confirmed” by a friend’s dead battery aptly describes how I have perceived chronic worriers, not how I feel myself.

Still, his allusion to worry as a kind of false prophecy is will be helpful to me. The “worst case scenario” happens, I suppose, to someone. But there’s no faith or even real foresight in expecting it to happen to me.

Discussion
Does the idea that fear is a present thing while worry operates in the future make fear more legitimate than worry? Why or why not?
Why are worriers immune to reason?
Evaluate the three “values” in worrying.