“Worries typically follow such lines, a narrative to oneself that jumps from concern to concern and more often than not includes catastrophizing, imagining some terrible tragedy. Worries are almost always expressed in the mind’s ear, not its eye – that is, in words, not images – a fact that has significance for controlling worry.” – Daniel Goleman – Author, Emotional Intelligence
To CATASTROPHIZE means to imagine the worst possible outcome of an event; to think about a situation or event as having a catastrophic outcome. Catastrophes are momentous tragic events ranging from extreme misfortune to
utter overthrow or ruin; utter failures; or fiascos. I wish I could say I was unfamiliar with catastrophizing. Sadly, it’s something with which I’ve struggled. I was raised in a home with combating outlooks on life. My mom was hopeful, witty, and adventurous. Her sister much more fearful, anxious, and expert in catastrophizing. I’m a mix between the two and have to war against my propensity to do the latter. Some folks are really battling anxiety right now. The bible term is foreboding- a fearful apprehension that something bad will happen. Jesus told His disciples that this would be a characteristic of the times leading up to His return:
“And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken.” (Luke 21:25-26, ESV)
By the way…there’s no better time than the present to identify yourself with Jesus, to accept His forgiveness for your wrongs, and identify with Him as LORD of the universe and your LORD and Savior. (John 3:16-17)
How do we balance the facts with our fears? How do we resume regular activity with an unseen virus in our midst? We know it is contracted disproportionately by African-Americans. We don’t know where or when it will strike, but the CDC says that the fatality rate is between .2-.5% of the population.How do I as an African-American leader encourage my friends and parishioners of color to LIVE their lives? Though they are more than twice as likely as whites to be shot and killed by police, according to a Forbes Magazine article quoting statistics from the Washington Post: the total number of US citizens shot and killed by police since January 1, 2015 is 4,728 people. 2,385 were Caucasian. 1,252 were African-American (though we make up only 13.4% of the US population). 877 were Latino and 214 were from other groups.
African-Americans can be killed at a traffic stop, in the park, on a jog, or at
home – with or without cause. This horrific reality is unacceptable given ALL of the racialized systems in the US too numerous to name that disproportionately jeopardize Black people. Police brutality is really just the tip of a huge iceberg: hence the protests. Still, none of them, in my opinion, is as insidious, pervasive, or destructive as the spirit of fear that has been bread by domestic terrorism. It is modern-day lynching meant to dissuade us. It is slavery via mass incarceration and mental bondage by the continual propagation of these images. On one hand, I’m grateful that our voices are finally being heard. Just like the hoses and dogs on national TV during the Civil Rights Movement, the masses now see what we’ve known all along. On the other hand…I’m concerned about our collective psyche.
It’s easy for any of us to get swept up in a tidal wave of anxiety. Anyone who’s suffered abandonment, divorce, bankruptcy, abuse, racism, other isms, or PTSD may worry that it will happen again or to their kids. That millions of Black folks are simultaneously experiencing societal/personal trauma is devastating. My caution to myself and to those who read this blog is not to allow what’s happened in the past, or to others around you to construct prison bars in your mind. Phil. 4:4-9 tells us that to ward off anxiety, the first characteristic for the things we should think about, (the story we tell ourselves)…is that it is TRUE…then honest, lovely, just, virtuous, praiseworthy and of good report. Just how true is what you’re thinking?
