Joshua Knabb, associate professor of psychology for California Baptist University, spoke at Finding You at the U, an annual event hosted by the office of counseling services, office of the vice president for student life, office of the provost and the center for faculty development, on Tuesday evening, Feb. 25 from 7:30-9:00 in the Bowld gym.
Knabb also spoke to Union University faculty and staff on Wednesday, Feb. 26, in Harvey Auditorium and presented a workshop that same day in the Grant Events Center.
Knabb is a board-certified clinical psychologist, author and speaker. Knabb’s objectives for the evening included defining the relationship between uncertainty, worry and anxiety, as well as explaining and walking through a four-step practice based on his empirical study and workbook, “Contemplative Prayer for Christians with Chronic Worry.”
“Worry relates to everyone, and if you are somehow without worry or anxiety, you know someone who deals with it,” said Lydia Goins, senior psychology major and student coordinator for the event. “Dr. Knabb relates everything he says to good studies and evidence. He takes a psychological approach and ties it to Christianity in a unique and, most importantly, fact-based way.”
According to the American College Health Association and National College Health Assessment Fall 2018 Data Report, 63 percent of college students in the United States felt overwhelming anxiety in the past year. At Finding You at the U, Knabb connected this reality of worry and anxiety in the lives of college students to God’s providence. Based on his extensive research, Knabb explained that “positive views of God’s providence were linked to the ability to surrender to God, which was linked to less worry.”
Following this information, Knabb explained the power of lectio devina, a practice incorporating Scripture reading, meditation, prayer and contemplation.
“In deepening our relationship with God, trusting in his providential care along the way, we are slowly learning to surrender our uncertainty, worry and anxiety to him,” said Knabb.
Knabb proceeded to lead the attending students in lectio devina, first reading Psalm 46 and then leading students through a meditation, a prayer and a contemplation of the passage.
“Ultimately, we always seem to be meditating on something, like chewing a piece of gum throughout the day,” said Knabb. “The question is not whether or not we are ‘chewing,’ or meditating, but what we choose to ‘chew,’ or meditate, on.”
While the practice of mindfulness meditation has grown over recent years as a tool to promote psychological health, Knabb’s research communicates the power of lectio devina in the Christian tradition to deepen one’s relationship with God, to trust in his providential care and to learn to surrender uncertainty, worry and anxiety.
“I really appreciate the research that Knabb is doing to bring back and make very accessible in modern language and practical steps the practices that are available in the Christian tradition [from the Puritans and the church fathers and from Scripture] to help all believers cope with worry, anxiety and suffering,” said Tamarin Huelin, director for Union University counseling services. “He is also proving [with his research] that these practices are effective in helping believers to pivot away from our earthly-minded concerns to move towards heavenly-minded concerns, and to rest in God’s love, power and wisdom when we cannot predict or control the future.”
“I appreciated the way he [Knabb] addressed our own view of God and how that relates to how we handle our anxiety,” said Laura Griffith, junior teaching english as a second language and intercultural studies double major and RSA for the heritage dorms. “The concept of worry takes on a new meaning when we really consider how we perceive God and His power.”
As a follow up to this event and Knabb’s presentation, Union University counseling services will be hosting a six-week support group, “Contemplative Prayer for Christians with Chronic Worry,” co-led by Huelin and Brandon Bailey, counselor at Union University, starting Monday, March 9. Registration for a required 15-minute pre-screen can be found at the counseling services website. Any questions may be emailed to Huelin at thuelin@uu.edu.
Photo by Maggie Exum
