Chaplain's Corner

Who is on the throne?

A recently licensed pilot was flying his private plane in a cloudy day. He was not very experienced in instrument landing. When the control tower was to bring him in, he began to get panicky. Then a stern voice came over the radio, ‘You just obey instructions, we’ll take care of the obstructions’.

Whether it be during these unprecedented times, or any times, it can be hard to obey instructions, can’t it? We are so used to being in control or striving for control, having autonomy, running our own race. When control is removed, it grates. We feel a sense of our freedoms being removed, or inversely, we feel a sense of total dependence. Either way, we are outside our comfort zone. Add to that, the swirl of information and conflicting advice, people’s opinions … and it’s difficult not to be concerned at times.

Amid all the noise, the question we need to ask is ‘Who is on the throne?’ Not all masters are equal. I know when I am master, or my pride is master, I do a poor job. When I acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord – master of my life, master over my emotions, master over my thoughts and actions, there is a difference. Jesus is the difference maker! If Jesus is my Lord, His words matter. In Matthew 6:25-34, Jesus speaks these powerful words …

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labour or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more clothe you – you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Duke University did a study on peace of mind. Factors found to contribute greatly to emotional and mental stability are:

1. The absence of suspicion and resentment. Nursing a grudge was a major factor in unhappiness.
2. Not living in the past. An unwholesome preoccupation with old mistakes and failures leads to depression.
3. Not wasting time and energy fighting conditions you cannot change. Cooperate with life, instead of trying to run away from it.
4. Force yourself to stay involved with the living world. Resist the temptation to withdraw and become reclusive during periods of emotional stress.
5. Refuse to indulge in self–pity when life hands you a raw deal. Accept the fact that nobody gets through life without some sorrow and misfortune.
6. Cultivate the old–fashioned virtues – love, humour, compassion and loyalty.
7. Do not expect too much of yourself. When there is too wide a gap between self–expectation and your ability to meet the goals you have set, feelings of inadequacy are inevitable.
8. Find something bigger than yourself to believe in. Self–centred people score lowest on any test for measuring happiness.

Take a moment today to reinstate Jesus Christ as Lord over your life and over your circumstances.

Ps Matt Daly

Chaplain