A Norvell Note
Vol. 27 No. 34 August 28, 2023
The Needs of An Anxious Heart
Have you encountered any anxious hearts lately?
Walk into an emergency or hospital room where the doctor just said, “There is nothing more we can do.”
Sit across the table from a man who is confident he is about to be terminated from his job or into the face of the HR person who had delivered that message.
Listen to someone with a relative in the path of a deadly storm, an out-of-control fire, or waiting for word on loved ones not yet accounted for after a storm or fire.
Sit next to someone already afraid of flying when the turbulence increases, and the pilot says, “Please take your seat and buckle your seat belt.”
Look into people’s faces in the Dollar General Store, high school football, or professional baseball games when they hear gunfire.
You may have seen anxious hearts as parents dropped off their children at school for the first time and of the teachers as those children marched into their classrooms. Or the faces of anyone in any location when they hear what sounds like a gunshot.
Anxious hearts are present when a mother and dad walk into the hospital, terrified of what the MRI may show.
If you pass an accident on the highway, the look on the faces of those involved will likely indicate an anxious heart.
Anxious hearts are all around us. In our schools, in our workplaces, in restaurants, in our churches, and our homes.
What do all these anxious hearts need? Solomon says they need a kind word. “An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.” (Proverbs 12:25)
Here are some suggestions: “You are not alone.” “I’m with you.” “We are going to get through this together.” “It’s okay to cry.” “It’s natural, and it’s alright to be afraid.” “I’m here for you. Whatever you need.” “I will listen.” You don’t have to be a hero or fix anything; just be there. Sometimes, the kindest words you can say are no words at all.
If you keep your eyes and ears open, you will see and hear anxious hearts all around you, and you can provide what they need: a kind word. And don’t ignore that the one with the anxious heart might be you.
Tom
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