There’s a term that’s been making the rounds lately, but it describes something that’s been around for… well… forever. It’s called the “Sunday Scaries”.
If you’ve done child-rearing, you might know exactly what I mean. It’s that feeling of anxiety or dread that creeps in on Sunday night before school. Maybe it’s because you procrastinated on homework that’s due Monday. Maybe it’s disappointment that you didn’t get everything done you hoped for over the weekend. Or maybe it’s knowing you have to face an unpleasant situation, or a lingering conflict once Monday arrives.
Of course, this isn’t just a kid thing (notice what I did in that last paragraph?). We all get a case of the “Sunday Scaries” sometimes. Maybe you’ve got a big presentation at work. Maybe you’re waiting for test results from the doctor. Maybe it’s anticipation for a tense family gathering, or the anniversary of a loss. Sometimes, it’s even driving away from the dorm after dropping your child off at college. Heart full, eyes wet, wondering how those 18 years disappeared so quickly. And I wonder…did Jesus ever feel the “Sunday Scaries?”
In John 11, when Mary and Martha sent word that their brother Lazarus was sick, Jesus didn’t rush to Bethany. He waited a few days. Scripture hints at a reason: going to Bethany meant walking straight toward Jerusalem, straight toward the cross. The disciples knew it, and Jesus knew it. Was there some hesitation? Some heaviness? A pause to take a deep breath before stepping into what was next?
Whatever those days looked like, we know that when Jesus finally decided to go, it wasn’t because the situation had gotten easier. It had gotten worse. Lazarus had died. But Jesus went anyway. And in going, he revealed something important: God is with us in our anxieties, in our “Scaries,” and can bring life and glory out of even the most fearful situations.
So, whether your “Sunday Scaries” look like regret over a summer that didn’t go as planned, fear over what’s waiting in your inbox, or grief that’s sharper at the start of a new week God is already there. With us. Ahead of us. Ready to walk with us through whatever Monday brings.
Here’s a prayer for our Scaries:
God of Mondays and midnight anxieties,
you know the Scaries we carry
you know the ache in our hearts when we step into something new
whether it’s walking into a hard conversation,
waiting on a test result,
or facing a first without the one we love
Meet us in the swirl of pride, grief, fear, and hope.
Give us the courage to walk forward,
trusting that your love goes ahead of us,
stays beside us,
and will be there on the other side.
In the name of Jesus, who faced his “Monday” head-on,
Amen.
