Daily Self Growth Journal

Anticipate the Bang

“There is no terror in the bang, only in the anticipation of it.” Alfred Hitchcock

Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Matthew 6:27

Anticipate: “to give advance thought, discussion, or treatment to” Merriam-Webster

Sea water splashes against your face. You can smell the life in it, and you wonder what will be of your life in a matter of seconds. As you look above the steel walls of your floating box, you can see the tops of the hills along the shore your motoring towards. But then a swell pitches your craft, the motor bogs and all you can see is sky. Someone throws up on your feet. Once again you realize your proximity to the other men on your boat. Your shoulders are rubbing together and you're all just trying to keep your balance in the surf as you near shore. Normally an ocean beach in the south of France would be a welcome place to visit. But not this day. The gate drops, it begins... D-Day. Nothing could have prepared you for this. Now it's happening. Now people are dying. Now you have to go to work. What must it have been like for the men attacking Normandy? For the men who endure the machine guns of war? It makes our worries, our troubles somehow seem a little insignificant. But they're not. What we do today could determine events far into the future. No matter how irrelevant it seems. Therefore, it's imperative that we anticipate and prepare. Without anticipation, there can be no preparation, and without preparation, anxiety becomes the master of our thoughts and actions. It's ok to worry, but worry must be accompanied by action. Without action, worry becomes a roadblock. Without action, worry becomes fear. And without action, worry will cause us to fail. Worry can become useful only if it leads to anticipation. The landing on Normandy was anticipated and the actions of that day were well prepared for. That's why the allies were able to win a foothold there. A foothold that would lead to the freedom of Europe from Germany and the world from fear. What about our lives? Are we using our worry to anticipate? By doing so we can eliminate much of the anxiety from our preparations. We will be tried in our lives. But that's a good thing. It's through trials that we can succeed. Have we anticipated them? Are we prepared? If we are, then there's nothing to worry about. The psalmist said famously in the 23rd Psalm. “Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; They rod and they staff they comfort me.” Indeed, God is with us. He's prepared for anything and with His help so are we.

Daily Journaling Questions:

How did I help someone in kindness today?

What did I learn today?

What am I thankful for?

Who did I love today?

What am I dreaming for?

What about today do I want to remember forever?

What are my goals for tomorrow?

Thank you so much for reading.

Jake