Dealing with Anxiety

Dealing with Anxiety

Well, are you worried today? What are you worried about? How was your worry before the pandemic? The same, a bit more, a bit less? 

Worry has been plaguing us since Adam and Eve. Essentially, if I could define it, worry is fear of what might happen. 

Corrie Ten Boom once said, “Worry does not empty tomorrow of sorrows; it empties today of strength.”

Boy that’s true isn’t it? As many of you know, this has been an area of weakness in my life. But, by the grace of God, I am doing so much better than I used to. There was a time in my life when this pandemic would have paralyzed me – but no more. And please hear me when I say this, not because of me, but Christ. And I am also not saying I don’t deal with worry still today – I am saying that I am better at it now than before. I want to share three scriptures with you today that help me deal with my worry. 

The first one is Proverbs 12:25, “Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.”

Think of worry as an anchor tied around your ankle while you’re trying to swim. It actually wouldn’t be that hard if you didn’t have that ridiculous anchor dragging your down – constantly pulling you backward and downward. What does this proverb claim is an answer to worry? A “good word”. There are many places to find a good word but the best place, of course, is scripture. Whatever you are worried about – google “scriptures about worry” or “scriptures about fear of death” or scriptures about money. Write those scriptures down on index cards or memorize them. Every time you start to worry on that item look to that card. 

Now, let’s look at 1 Peter 5:6-7, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you, ⁷ casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you.”

I have a troubling truth for all my fellow worriers out there! Worry is a form of pride! I hate that, but no matter how hard I try I can’t disprove it. On the contrary, in my worry I am assuming that I know best. I know what would be best and I am hoping God does too. In my worry I am assuming that if I were in control the best thing would happen. In my worry I am actually resenting my own lack of control. When I say, “I just hate not knowing” (which I often say or feel) I am really saying “I am not sure if God can be trusted with the things I don’t even know yet.” I love Peter’s solution to pride in this passage: humility! How is humility defined for us in this scripture? “casting all your anxieties on Him”. I had a great talk with our awesome student minister, Chris Austin, yesterday and he said, “Sometimes I have to cast my cares on God every hour!” That is humility – it is saying, “I don’t know enough and even if I did I trust God with the future more than myself!” and in that true belief you find relief for your worry.

Finally, Philippians 4:6-7, “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

According to this, we are not to be anxious about anything. Paul’s solution is to present your worried requests to God along with thanksgiving! We spoke about this in one of our devos – Adam, our worship arts minister, often says something like this, “gratitude is the cure for everything.” I was worried a bit last night and my wife made me name 3 things I was grateful for and my worry faded away. What a beautiful way to battle worry! Yes present it to God but then thank God for something. 

So, in your worry, seek out a good word, be humble by regularly trusting God with your worries more than yourself, and finally, thank God for specific things.

We’ll see you tomorrow!