On this day in Berlin, 1819, Felix Mendelssohn played in his first public concert at the age of nine. Felix was born in 1809, one of four children to a wealthy Jewish family in Germany. The Mendelssohn family believed in providing the best education and opportunities for their children. They would often invite various professors or musicians to their home. All four of their children showed interest in the area of art or music. Felix’s sister Fanny would become a great pianist (which was rare during that time). Felix started to learn piano from his mother at the age of six. He quickly excelled beyond the ability of his mother. He would receive more formal training, often surpassing his teachers. His family quickly realized that he was a child prodigy, but they did not want to exploit their son or try to capitalize on his ability. They begrudgingly allowed him to perform publicly in a chamber music concert. The audience was awed by his ability. The family would then invite others to Sunday concerts in their home. Felix became a household name. Between the ages of 12-14, he wrote 12 stringed symphonies. The bulk of his famous works were composed before he turned twenty. His most famous composition would be setting music to Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Most of you reading this are unknowingly aware of this overture. Brides come down the aisle to the “wedding march” which is a portion of that wonderful piece. His musical ability would grow to playing the piano, the organ, composing, and even conducting. He would also become quite an accomplished painter. His fame would spread rapidly. Large audiences would fill music halls all across Europe as Mendelssohn toured. During this time of traveling, Mendelssohn started to suffer from the effects of overworking and anxiety. His anxiety started to take effect on his physical health. Tragically Felix died at the age of 38 after suffering multiple strokes. To this day he is still considered one of the best, if not the greatest musician of the Romantic period.
Anxiety takes its toll on everyone, even people like Felix Mendelssohn. Sometimes we are good at masking it but nonetheless, anxiety causes the heart to race and the mind to doubt. It is a spiritual issue that plagues all of us; it does not discriminate based on age, gender, social status, or skin color. Anxiety is one of the only problems in our world that affects us mentally, spiritually, and physically. To worry is human, so how do we battle a beast that has waged war on humanity since the introduction of sin? In Matthew 6:34 we find Jesus saying “So do not worry about tomorrow.” Those are simple words for our problem with anxiety. Worry doesn’t stop simply because we tell it to stop. I worry about how to stop worrying. Jesus gives us the ultimate remedy for anxiety and stress in the previous verse, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness…” Anxiety often hits me when I take my eyes off Jesus. Stress takes me under like the waves of the ocean when I stop taking life’s circumstances to Jesus. Jesus says to seek His kingdom first, to seek Him first. Next time you feel that tension rising in your chest, that tightness in your jaw, run to Jesus…seek Jesus. Simply give it to Him. He wants the things that burden you and worry you. Give up worry and give in to Jesus.
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