Conquering Separation Anxiety – February 22, 2024

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
Romans 8:35-37

Conquering Separation Anxiety

When babies become more cognizant of their surroundings, they often begin to exhibit signs of separation anxiety. When they were a week old, they didn’t care much who is holding them as long as they were fed and changed. But later on, when the face of the person who has them in their arms is not familiar, cries for help are almost immediately let loose. If babies could talk, they’d scream, “I don’t know this person, so how can I know whether they are to be trusted? Mommy, where are you?”

Separation anxiety is not just a childhood phenomenon. Adults can have it, too. We may no longer feel it in connection with our mommies, but other people and things have taken mommy’s place. Like the security blanket Charlie Brown’s buddy Linus lugged around wherever he went, we develop relationships with the people, places, and “playthings” of this world that we can hardly imagine living without; we think they’re essential to our existence! And when we lose them, it brings tears to our eyes and anxiety to our hearts.

But is it possible to lose Jesus’ saving love? Is there anything that can separate us from it? In Romans 8, the apostle Paul answers with unmistakable emphasis: Absolutely not! He even rounds up the usual suspects in to make himself clear. He asks, Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble, hardship, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, or sword? Nope.

But what about death? It must have the final say, right? After all, because of our relationship to Jesus, Christians “face death all day long.” We’re like “sheep to be slaughtered.” But Paul reminds us that Jesus even conquered death. “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”

So don’t be anxious. Jesus is here. Always. For you.

Prayer:
Jesus, help me find peace in your abiding presence and your everlasting, conquering love. Amen.