Stop Catasrophising!
Timi Olaitan
I’m here to explain catastrophising (Ca-tas-tro-phis-ing), why we do it, and how to stop doing it with Him in mind.
So, what is catastrophising?
Catastrophising is a verb formed from the word catastrophe ( get ready to hear that word way more times than necessary). So, to catastrophise is to anticipate events causing disaster, and worrying tirelessly about consequences. In reality, these imagined scenarios never happen, and even when they do, it’s never to the extent of the pre-empted expectation.
A common example is the fear of failure in the build up to writing an exam. We believe failure exposes incompetence, meaning there will be no real chance at success in life. In actuality, success or failure in exams is no inclination of whether we will fail or be successful in life. Jeremy Clarkson is an example.
Why do we catastrophise?
Many have different pathways into catastrophising, but the root is always buried in childhood experiences (when is it never). The action is a common symptom of anxiety and depression, but is not, on its own diagnosed as a mental health problem. A shared memory amongst young people have been instances where their child-like errors were perceived as catastrophic mistakes to their parents, teachers, or care givers, unable to process their personal emotional responses, and failing to acknowledge the child’s underdeveloped neuro capacity. In essence, a child behaving like a child, to some adults is catastrophic. This learned experience follows that child into adolescence and creates a young adult so afraid of the unknown that they inadvertently clip their own wings in attempt to avoid mistake. The same process can be applied to a person who has lived through trauma - their ‘new normal’ may be to catastrophise.
Ending Catastrophising with Him in mind.
King David was one of the biggest catastrophisers the world has probably ever seen and who can blame him? He was picked out of his 7 older brothers to be anointed and live in a Palace (1 Sam 16:3-13), when he became king he created (and inherited) many enemies, and mockery was no stranger to him. David made so many mistakes and lived in constant fear (Psalms 22:11-13) as King, but nothing ever stopped him from relying on God (Psalms 27:1-4) and praising Him beautifully, as we see throughout the book of Psalms. Many of us live in fear and guilt for our souls, and the jeopardy our behaviour has put us in. What we often misunderstand is guilt is a human emotion that cannot be applied to matters of our faith. God did not give us the spirit of fear, but of power and love and sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). That applies to the spirit/feeling of guilt. He didn’t give that to us, but we punish ourselves with it daily. Proverbs 3:25 literally says we have no reason to fear a sudden disaster, or the destruction that comes to the wicked. We can trust in Him for protection. He will not let us fall into harm.
God prophesied to Jeremiah that there will be a time where people will do wrong, He will forgive them and ‘won’t remember their sins’ (Jeremiah 31:34). We are living in that time! He did not send His son to the world to condemn us, but to save the world through his death and resurrection (John 3:17). That means when Jesus died, we became free of catastrophising, guilt, fear, shame and so much more. All God needs from us is to come to Him in genuinely and honestly (John 4:2), confess our errors, and ask that He helps us on our journey in making sure we do not repeat them. That’s all it takes. There is no sin on earth that God can’t forgive.
Look at Saul. Before becoming, who I believe, is one of the most profound apostles the world will ever witness, he was an established lawyer who would arrest Christians, and threaten them with their lives (Acts 9:1-3). Jesus appeared to him, forgave him, and offered a new purpose (Acts 9:3-19). People were so stunned when they saw him evangelising, they were afraid it was a new tactic he created to capture Christians (rightly so, I’m not sure I would’ve been the first to believe he really changed) (Acts 9: 20-29). If God can forgive a man who terrorised people who loved Him, what makes you think He won’t forgive you? Don’t get me wrong, Saul becoming Paul was HARD on him physically and mentally, he lost his sight for 3 days and he couldn’t eat or drink. His experience was extreme mainly because Jesus wanted to use him immediately (and I’m sure wanted to punish him small lol). Even though God’s mercies endure forever, we can’t take them for granted, hence the prayer for Him to help us stop whatever it is we did wrong. God says if we love Him, we should obey Him. That means He loves us even if we don’t always obey Him. His love doesn’t run out when we’ve made a mistake.
Blaming ourselves or hiding from hypothetical catastrophe only pushes us further from Him.
He wants us. He loves us.
Oh, what peace we often forfeit, oh, what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.
