Years ago, Father pointed out that Urgency and Peace live in opposite spheres. Urgency is fear of loss. And Peace is Trust in Love.

Please understand that I believe in hurried, quick responses in many situations where it is required. However, even those responses can be performed in Peace.

Urgency is a psychological trigger in humans. It is undue pressure, not necessarily for our benefit, used for manipulative purposes in marketing. Hospitals use medical personnel often as businesses use salespeople to use this technique.

Hunny grew up with lots of Urgency, especially regarding finances. His Dad and Mom watched sales ads daily to catch toilet paper or paper towels on sale. Then they’d buy a case or two.

To me, this was a weird but possibly wise family dynamic. And unfortunately, I eventually saw the fear of loss in their behavior. Especially if everyone was too busy to buy the item, panic began to build. It wasn’t purely logical. Rather it was an emotional attempt to control a financial issue. One they had learned during the Great Depression.

BUYING

Urgency became a problem between Hunny and me on one occasion. It was over buying a truck. He’d found one with an exceptional price and called the car lot to check its availability. It was still there but, another couple were on their way to look at it. Urgency began a screaming crescendo inside of him! And I wanted to crawl into a hole to hide as I saw it.

Instead, I went for a quick potty break before we left the house, and while in the bathroom, I asked Father to help me with this situation. I felt a darkness clawing at my gut. An intuition that something wasn’t right. But I saw no way of convincing Hunny that this was not the time or the truck, so I asked Father for him to bring the solution.

After we arrived at the lot, we took the truck for a drive, and I could feel clearly that it was not the right vehicle for us. Interestingly, Hunny was having the same reaction. Something wasn’t great, but it was hard to finger what it was. So, as we talked to the salesman, he picked up on our hesitation and wisely steered us quickly to another truck.

SURPRISE

While driving the new truck, Hunny said, “I’m going to pull over. I want you to drive this.” The truck was supposed to be for him. But I agreed. And it didn’t take long for me to become impressed. It drove like a champ, felt like a luxury truck, and was simply everything right.

As we arrived back at the lot, Hunny said, “I think we want this one!” I agreed wholeheartedly. The salesman walked up to let us know he needed the keys because another couple was waiting to drive it. And Hunny said, “We want this one.”

While waiting for our documents, we watched the other couple through the window, not very happily, climb into the first truck for a test drive. I felt a little sad for them. But not enough to change my mind. lol.

Father can redeem any situation, as we all know. Not only did he fix our situation, but the new truck quickly became my favorite vehicle ever.
I learned a lesson about Urgency that day. To recognize it. That’s the first step. The second step is finding a moment to talk to Father. Even if that moment is a quick potty break. My third step is to then let go and “trust him” with the sequences of events as they play out. No matter how it begins, the ending will be in my best interest.

MEDICAL

During my latest medical challenge, Urgency was strongly brought to bear. It’s often the primary reaction when cancer is suspected. I mean Cancer is the thing on the highest pedestal. It drew a small crowd into my room where the experts gave their finest theatre to bend me instantly to obeisance. Every word and phrase targeted me while I sat most vulnerable, in a hospital bed naked under a flimsy gown.

I was not in pain. That had disappeared when upon admission, they put me on only water the day before. So, while listening to them, I remembered that my symptoms began a few years ago with painful flare-ups 2-3 times a year, which went away within hours. However, their reaction was that this wasn’t an important point. There was an impending rupture right now. Yet I was in no pain and hadn’t been since the day before.

I made my comments and asked my questions, but it became obvious that I wasn’t considered a participant in this discussion. The prognosis of impending rupture was where they planted their flag which was an opinion based on unclear imaging.

So, carrying a bit of righteous indignation for being ignored and manipulated, I requested my release, and the surgeon, seeing the fire in my eyes, complied. No one was happy about it but this was my body, not theirs. To everyone’s surprise, doctors and family alike, I went home that night.

RECOGNITION

Step one, I recognized the use of Urgency. That’s manipulation. According to the dictionary: to manipulate is to control or play upon by artful, unfair, or insidious means, especially to one’s own advantage. Do they have an advantage? Oh yes. Simple money. Cancer is the biggest money maker in the medical industry.

Step two. I was given no place for my moment to talk to Father. Rather, I was expected to comply instantly while in shock as they elevated the effects of Urgency. I shook my head in disbelief at their blatant ignorance of my awareness of their use of psychological techniques to influence me.

But their technique didn’t take into account what I knew. I knew I could hear their case in full and then make my own decision. I had not given them carte blanche to do so for me. And, I would do what I needed without fear. It wasn’t a big influence on me. This decision required more than a potty break discussion with my God. I also knew that they were not him.

At home, I sat in my recliner, closed my eyes, and sighed out with a big breath, all the pressure. Then I continued sitting silently, basking in his absolutely lovely peace for a long time. Finally, I asked Father to let me know what I should do, and then I fell asleep, and by the time I awoke the next morning, I knew I would go back.

There was no shame in me for the way I processed this decision. So, when I was asked by one of the doctors a few days later, why I had gone home and then come back the next day, I told her exactly. I needed to go to my chair and talk to my God before I could make a decision. With wide eyes, she nodded her head more and more, and said, “I understand exactly!”

CONCLUSION

Just because I’m aware of Urgency and its manipulative pedigree, I try to remember that people are taught to use these and other psychologically triggered techniques under servant-like conditions. It’s marketing and it’s disrespectful to intelligent individuals, but those who learn them don’t recognize that. And if they do, and still use them, they are either evil or still in servant mode. That is between them and God and none of my concern. My concern is between me and Father. Nothing else.

We are each uniquely made in his image. No two are alike. Sometimes we don’t know that Urgency does not come from the Peace that flows from Father. So, as I did, we learn, at our pace, and at our time. We come to know when someone or something is trying to bend our will with an unfair advantage.

These days it is being questioned whether free will is even a good idea. That we should all be the same. But, Father doesn’t treat me that way. Or anyone else I know. And that has been completely reliable so I will continue in that direction. As I hope you do as well.

“Live long and prosper” seems to be appropriate here. With love.

Faith