Anxiety
In a Bible study I was reading the author talked about emotions and how they are a big part of our lives. Emotions allow us to enjoy life and relate to others. How we express them determines whether we are building up or tearing down. When I say building up I am referring to whether we are being encouraging, uplifting, and edifying. When I say teardowning I am referring to discouraging and negative behavior.
I’m RW and let’s have a fireside chat about an emotion called “Anxiety”.
Anxiety can come from a lack of control. We do not know the outcome and you feel powerless then you feel vulnerable and then we worry and have Anxiety. Anxiety reveals a lack of faith—it’s not possible to be worried while fully (100%) trusting God. Anxiety also takes a toll by draining energy and dividing the mind. Anxiety prevents effective service to the Lord by keeping one’s focus self-centered on the issue rather than Christ-centered.
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Here is a definition of Rejoice – To Have Great Delight
Below are some scriptures that speak volume to me about anxiety.
Matthew 11:28-30 (Jesus is talking to John)
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
Matthew 6:25-34 – Do Not Worry
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Examples for the above for not worrying:
6:25 – The same God who created life in you can be trusted with the details of your life.
6:26 – Worrying about the future hampers your efforts for today.
6:27 – Worrying is more harmful than helpful.
6:28-30 – God does not ignore those who depend on them.
6:31-32 – Worry shows a lack of faith in and understanding of God.
6:33 – There are real challenges God wants us to pursue, and worrying keeps us from them.
6:34 – Living one day at a time keeps us from being consumed with worry.
John 14:1 – Jesus Comforts His Disciples
14 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.
27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid
13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.
Why should we avoid Anxiety?
- It is not scriptural – The Father will provide his will. We can trust him to keep his promise.
- Divides our minds – Makes it hard to focus
- Decrease our Productivity – Distracted and cannot give our best effort
- Affects our Relationships – Burden others
- Leads to unwise decisions – Make hasty decision with seeking the Lord.
Our tendency is to pray about something, and then check in at the same time.
- Steals our joy and peace – Cannot be worrying and peaceful at the same time
- Waste of time and Energy – it slows us down for accomplishing the Lord’s will
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley,I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
As much as we might want to avoid hard times, this passage doesn’t tell us that God will lead us around the “valley of the shadow of death.” Rather, He leads us through it (v. 4). This means that God’s plan may require us to walk through painful circumstances, facing those shadows and dark places in our lives. However, in the midst of the Anxiety, we can remain confident by keeping our eyes on the Shepherd, who leads us safely home.
Sorry for being long winded but here are some more scripture for you to write on your heart and hold on to.
Mathew 8:23 -27 – Jesus Calms the Storm
23 Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. 24 Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25 The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”
26 He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
27 The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”
Matthew 14:22-32 – Jesus Walks on the Water
22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
29 “Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
As a Christian if we know the God who watches over us, then we’ll be able to trust that His plans are for our good and His glory. We have to rely on the Holy Spirit, who helps us understand and follow. With eyes fixed upon Jesus instead of our circumstances we won’t have Anxiety but will look for the outcome/blessings God desires.
Omniscient. Our Father knows what is happening with every person at every moment (Luke 12:2-3). His knowledge is complete—no circumstance is hidden from Him; there is no motive or thought process that He does not discern.
As Christian we need to “Protect the Brand” by saying Anxiety NO —- Joy YES.
What is Joy? “The quiet confident assurance of God’s love and work in our lives”
