Article October 16, 2000 Issue

Get off the dreadmill

By Steven A. Salt

"Worry gives a small thing a big shadow," so the Swedish proverb goes. Sometimes this shadow is so pervasive we might not even question it, though we should. Busy lives, hectic jobs, and never-ending family responsibilities may leave little time for the stillness and quiet reflection needed to arrest fear, which can lead to despair, induce panic, and heighten anxieties.

Facing these fears and breaking the cycle of worry doesn't need to be daunting. Help is at hand. Humbly asking for God's guidance through this maze of uneasiness is the most natural and effective way to gain the control that we think is missing.

I conquered chronic dread some time ago by turning to God. During a particularly busy time in my life, I would on occasion wake from a dream that left me in a state of panic. I felt intensely alone, separated from God, family, and friends. Many minutes would pass before I became fully awake and the fretful episode would pass. After this happened several more times, I prayed to God to still my thought. The phrase "fearless and undisturbed abide" came to me. It's part of a hymn that begins,

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