Life is filled with much uncertainty. And when crisis strikes we often feel overwhelmed and we’re prone to overreact. While taking dangers seriously, we must also keep calm in order to make wise choices.
Some days we’re reminded of our fragility. Despite all our social and technological advances much of life remains outside of our control.
Natural disasters strike. Economies crash. Deadly viruses spread. And trust is broken in relationships.
In these moments, fear and anxiety tends to get the best of us and we panic.
We no longer have the eyes to see the larger story or consider a longer game. We’re in fight or flight mode desperately trying to do what we can to eliminate the threat in front of us.
Of course these defense mechanisms make sense. It’s how God has wired us to protect ourselves against danger.
But he has also given us the freedom, power, and responsibility to make wise choices when danger comes.
This is why it’s good to practice staying calm in the face of crises.
Our initial reactions tend to be extreme and not always helpful in the long run.
For instance, during a fire drill we’re reminded to remain calm and proceed to the nearest exit. In the event of a fire, an immediate response is needed, but panic is not helpful. In fact, panic often leads to many secondary injuries not caused by the fire itself.
Keeping calm doesn’t mean we stick our heads in the sand and ignore present dangers.
But it does call for us to take a deep breath (or two) in order to keep a clear head and determine our next best choice.
When we panic we’re only setting ourselves up for additional harm.
Keep calm and practice seeing crises with a balance perspective. This will empower you to make wise choices and live well despite the many dangers of life.
Photo by Clem Onojeghuo on Unsplash
