Cherilyn Chang

The  Art  of  Worrying   Suppose  you  are  a  freshman  in  college,  and  one  of  your  required  classes  is  Intro  to  Public   Speaking.  One  of  the  first  few  assignments  that  your  distinguished  professor  gives  you  is  to  write  a   speech   on   any   topic   you   choose.   Everyone   must   be   ready   to   give   his   or   her   speech   the   week   after.   You   realize   that   in   a   class   about   Public   Speaking,   you   would   be   required   to   do   some   public   speaking.  Yet,  you  gulp  and  your  stomach  is  in  knots  as  you  begin  to  picture  yourself  standing  at   the  front  of  the  classroom,  trying  to  get  out  the  first  words  of  your  speech.     Upon   hearing   about   this   assignment   in   class,   you   begin   to   hyperventilate   and   your   heart   begins   to   palpitate.   Quickly,   you   pull   out   a   paper   bag   and   breathe   into   it,   hoping   that   this   will   help   your   breathing   return   to   normal.   As   the   distinguished   professor   explains   the   assignment,   you   begin   to   tremble.   You   scan   the   classroom   hoping   to   find   someone   with   whom   you   can   find   sympathy.  Every  person  has  a  smile  on  his  face.  How  could  this  be,  you  wonder,  how  could  they  be   so   calm?   As   the   professor   brings   the   class   session   to   an   end,   your   heart   slows   down   and   your   breathing  is  once  again  regulated.  Deep  breath  in  and  deep  breath  out,  you  tell  yourself.       That   night,   you   return   to   your   dorm   room   and   begin   to   imagine   your   Intro   to   Public   Speaking  class  that  will  take  place  a  week  later.  You  lie  in  bed  at  12  a.m.  and  watch  the  time  pass   by.     It  is  1  a.m.     I  can’t  forget  my  manuscript.  What  if  I  forget  my  manuscript?     2  a.m.     What  if  I  say  “um”  and  “uh”  and  “like”  more  than  a  hundred  times  and  the  professor     counts  it?       3  a.m.  What  if  everyone  hates  my  speech  and  “boo”s  me  off  the  podium?    Finally,  you  tell  yourself  that  you  should  get  some  sleep.         A   week   later,   you   sit   in   your   Public   Speaking   class,   and   the   professor   calls   your   name.   Your   heart  beats  faster,  as  you  retrieve  your  manuscript  and  outline  and  make  your  way  to  the  podium.   The   applause   fades   away.   Three   minutes   later,   you   hear   a   loud   applause   again   and   notice   a   standing  ovation.  You  realize  that  you  have  just  finished  giving  your  speech.  With  a  sigh  of  relief   and  a  faint  smile  on  your  face,  you  return  to  your  seat.       This,   dear   friends,   is   a   perfect   example   of   what   it   looks   like   to   worry.   Start   by   imagining   every   single   thing   that   could   possibly   go   wrong   as   you   give   your   speech.   Continue   by   repeating   those   images   and   scenarios   in   your   head.   Allow   your   heart   to   palpitate   and   your   lungs   to   hyperventilate.  As  you  are  trying  to  sleep,  replay  those  disastrous  scenarios  again  until  you  start   to   freak   out   in   your   bed.   Finally,   try   to   sleep,   but   don’t   sleep.   Just   keep   those   scenarios   on   rewind.   This  is  what  it  looks  like  to  worry.       As   my   final   word,   allow   me   to   say,   I   know   that   in   fact   you   know   worrying   all   too   well.   Who   has  not  worried  even  once  in  their  life?  It  is  simply  a  part  of  our  human  nature.  I,  for  one,  am  a   worry-­‐er.  When  I  begin  to  worry,  I  remember  that  Jesus  tells  us  in  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  that   not   one   of   us   can   add   a   single   hour   to   our   lives  by  worrying  (Matt.  7:27).  So  friends,  do  not   worry.   In  fact,  in  the  words  of  Paul,  “Do  not  be  anxious  about  anything,  but  in  prayer  and  petition,  with   thanksgiving,   present   your   requests   to   God.   And   the   peace   of   God,   which   transcends   all   understanding  will  guard  your  hearts  and  your  minds  in  Christ  Jesus”  (Phil.  4:6-­‐7).