[note: this article originally appeared in the print and online versions of the Helena Independent Record, Saturday March 4, 2023. LINK]
Carly Simon’s 1971 single, “Anticipation,” opened with the following lines:
We can never know about the days to come
But we think about them anyway
And I wonder if I'm really with you now
Or just chasin' after some finer day
Anticipation, anticipation
Is makin' me late
Is keepin' me waitin'
This is a season of anticipation and waiting. Many are anticipating warmer days and outdoor activities that come with spring. I am anxiously awaiting the start to another baseball season. What might you be waiting for with expectation?
For Christians around the world there is great expectation for the celebration of Easter after a period of preparation called Lent. Lent is a term itself that contains a sense of anticipation, derived from an old English word that meant “lengthening,” as in the lengthening days of late winter and early spring.
March has the distinction of being the month in which we gain the most daylight in the year. In part, that is because we “spring ahead” one hour on the 11th, but also because we gain about three minutes per day of daylight. This is a wonderful time when our anticipation is rewarded with small expectations being met along the way. It all builds towards a bigger goal: longer days, more sun and warmth, and the celebrations and activities we enjoy.
However, anticipation and expectation are not always welcome emotions. The uncharted future can also cause an increase in anxiety. Consider these words from Meriwether Lewis, written in his journal on May 26, 1805, as his “Corps of Discovery” expedition with Lt. William Clark first glimpsed the mighty Rocky Mountains:
“while I viewed these mountains I felt a secret pleasure in finding myself so near the head of the heretofore conceived boundless Missouri; but when I reflected on the difficulties which this snowey barrier would most probably throw in my way to the Pacific, and the sufferings and hardships of myself and party in them, it in some measure counterballanced the joy I had felt in the first moments in which I gazed on them; but as I have always held it a crime to anticipate evils I will believe it a good comfortable road untill I am compelled to beleive differently.”
The words of Carly Simon’s “Anticipation” and Meriwether Lewis’ journal entry expose the nature of anticipation that many of us struggle with. Anticipation of the future and the unknown causes anxiety. Anxiety results from the worry that the outcome a future event is going to be unpleasant or that we will be unprepared for what may come.
While scripture commands that we “be anxious for nothing,” we would do well to remember that not all anxiety is created equal (Phil. 4:6). Some anxiety is good, as a measure of stress is needed to provoke proper preparation. Unhealthy or unhelpful anxiety occurs when the dread of the future immobilizes us. “Paralysis by over-analysis” is a trap that I know I fall into. Through mental gymnastics I can justify inaction when convinced that it would be impossible to adequately plan for the two dozen possible scenarios that may take place!
Can we release ourselves from the grip of anxiety and embrace joyful anticipation? God promises each of his children an incredible future. For example, in Isaiah 65:17-25 we read about a glorious new heaven and new earth. Wonderful promises are contained in this passage, including God’s commitment to answer our prayers before we even call on him. Someday, we won’t have any cause to be anxious because God will meet our needs before we finish forming the words on our lips (Isaiah 65:24). But until that time, how shall you and I manage our anticipation, expectation, and anxiety?
As I stated before—not all anxiety is created equal. For those who had nervous systems deeply affected by childhood trauma, it is wise to consult with a medical professional about what treatment options might be available. Just as we would have no qualms about using a wheelchair if a childhood tragedy resulted in paralysis in our legs, we should have no reservation about understanding that—if our developing brains were bathed in toxic stress—we may need some help in adjusting our endocrine system’s default setting. Anti-anxiety medications are no more a sign of moral weakness than a paralyzed woman is “weak” for using a wheelchair!
During this season of Lent we can train our thoughts to rest in the character of a loving God. Anticipation can replace anxiety when we know we have a God who has prepared a glorious future for us AND walks with us through the uncertainty of our present days. Whether joyful anticipation or fearful anxiety has been more common in our life experience to this point, we can endeavor to lean more into the truth that God is always with us. God’s love and care will sustain us.
More about the author:
The Reverend Chris Haughee is a licensed minister of the Evangelical Covenant Church and is the Church Relations liaison for Intermountain. For the last eight years he has been on the cutting edge of the international discussion of how adversity in childhood, neuroscience, and faith intersect within trauma-informed ministries. Chris is the author of several devotional books including his latest, Traumatic Triumph, which is available at Amazon.com. Chris can be reached contacting Intermountain at 406-457-4804.
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