Sitting next to fresh life that beat my own blood in a hospital NICU wasn’t how I envisioned my initiation to parenting. But there I was - worried. So worried, in fact, I forgot to pray. You may scoff at the irony or you may nod in solidarity.

Life is sure to take us off-road into unexpected alleys where fear is a knee-jerk reaction. However, asking ourselves or others not to feel fear doesn’t really seem fair. When events that elicit fear crash like a wave, we need more than a trite Christian jingle to keep from becoming engulfed in fear. Perhaps what is more powerful than dulling or denying the emotion is partnering with the Spirit to navigate through it. Because the otherwise unfortunate truth is our worries may end up taking residence where the Spirit would like to rest.

Our response to anxiety inducing events is a choice that can - and should - be owned. What if we started looking at worry as an unwelcome indication we were not made to do life alone? Whenever we feel the brokenness of our humanity in the form of anxiety, let it serve as our reminder to pivot our attention to the Spirit’s presence.

I find it interesting that the Spirit came down at Pentecost in the form of fire - not a communal bonfire, but a flame for each person. Sometimes in a moment of worry it is helpful to know the Spirit is not just overseeing all the masses, but alongside each one of us.

Let our anxious emotions transform into open invitations for a more Spirit-trusting life.

Commit to fully turning your attention to the Spirit’s power and love the next time you feel worried, anxious or scared.