Super Hero Syndrome

I am afraid I have the Super Hero Syndrome - you know, that "me against the world", "I've got the weight of the world upon my shoulders", "I need to solve all my problems, do more, acheive more..." feeling?

So what do I do? I worry. I worry about

• My ministry - What can I do to bring the Care Group closer together and closer to the Lord?
• My lil one, who was finally diagnosed with a hairline fracture in his finger after a second consultation with the doctors. Was I too callous? What should I do now?
• My work - New role (Praise God!), new challenges, can I manage? Will I rise up like a hero to save the day or fall flat on my face? How do I impress my bosses, and my colleagues?
• My career - How do I rise up from the miry clay of middle management to the "enlightened" world of senior management? What do I do to accelerate the process? Why are my managers getting younger?!?!
• Olympic Triathlon - can I really do this? Can I complete it in a "respectable" timing when I can't even complete one of the swim or run events today?!?! Do I do intervals, strength training, drills (you may be surprised that I currently don't do any of these - don't know how and haven't got the time) or do I just keep plodding on with my boring old swims, bike trips, and runs?!?!

Noticed how many times "I" appeared above? Fourteen! Okay, must admit that was a bit of a set up, but the point is that the good Lord reminded me that when I do that (worry), I am actually telling Him that while I trust him for spiritual salvation, but I don't trust Him on His many promises to prosper us.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

"If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" Matthew 7:11

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28

This is one of my favourite illustrations of how God works and I hope it encourages you as much as it continues to encourage me. Recall the time when the Israelites finally left slavery in Egypt under the leadership of Moses, but the Pharoah changes his mind about losing His biggest labour pool and sends his army after them. The army caught up with the Israelites right at the bank of the Red Sea (this is just before the famous parting of the Red Sea, or some say the Sea of Reeds). At the height of this calamity, what did Moses tell the Israelites to do? Surprisingly, he did not say "HURRY! Get up and escape!", neither did he say "Get up and fight against this army of opressers!". Instead, he said

"The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still." Exodus 14:14

WOW, how much faith does it take to "be still" in the face of calamity? When every instinct is shouting either "GET UP AND RUN!" or "GET UP AND FIGHT!"? I believe being "still" here does not mean sitting down and not doing anything (the Israelites did get up and cross the Red Sea, remember?). :) Instead I think it means not to panic or worry, to have the peace of God in your heart, to KNOW that God is in charge - which allows you to go ahead and do the right thing(s) in faith. To borrow the words of one of the fathers in the New Testament (whose son was finally healed by Jesus),

"... I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" Mark 9:24