Anxiety & Worry

ANXIETY & WORRY

"Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on.  Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?  Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them.  Are ye not much better than they?  Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?  And why take ye thought for raiment?  Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall He not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?  Therefore take no thought, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or, 'What shall we drink?' or, 'Wherewithal shall we be clothed?'  (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.  Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.  Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." (Matt. 6:25 - 34)  Wherever you are now, you have sufficient funds to have bought a computer, or you have access to a computer, so you are able to read this.  It may seem a small miracle to you, or not even one at all, but He took care of you, His child, enough that you could afford the means to read this.  And He did so much more for you already!  You have been able to eat food so often as you have to the point that you are now as old as you are, and by God's providence you have not died of starvation, nor of thirst.  For so long as you have not been naked, God's supply has been such that you have not been shamed to walk in public unclothed, nor have you froze to death, perchance you live in a cold country, for so long as you have lived to the point of this juncture in time to be able to read what is written here.  While you may have had to work for these things you felt you needed, or your parents perhaps did, or some guardian, nevertheless, you are currently without worry of being in need.  No worries!  Right now... But as Jesus said, each day has its own troubles.

The ones who know not the way to live their lives, these are the ones who will probably suffer the worst anxieties and worries.  The bible tells us all kinds of things about how to live our lives as every situation comes up, even things that seem unreal to us, or unbearable, even these things the bible teaches how to cope with.  We have His promise to focus on when we have severe problems and bothers to relieve us of anxiety and worry; David knew this!  "Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in Thy presence is fulness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." (Psa. 16:11)  Some of us are aware, however, that even though we may know this about the bible, it is another thing to train the mind to use its precepts to fight off worry and anxiety.  For me, being human is a big drawback and it is too hard to totally dial anxiety and worry down to zero; nevertheless, I strive to be obedient and do so!

You know, I used to have anxiety about people "getting away with murder", doing outrageously bad things, and never seeming to get caught before I came to know the Lord.  But since I have been reading Scripture for so long as I have now, it has become a realization of mine that they currently are getting away with whatever wickedness I have witnessed, but God eventually does repay these people, each and every one, in His own time.  Some I have seen eventually get nailed, and others I now assume God will allow to pay for whatever crime I saw later, even if they never get saved and come to judgment.  I don't recall wishing I could get away with anything I ever saw someone else get away with, I guess simply because I knew it was wrong what they were doing in the first place.  "Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.  For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.  Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass." (Psa. 37:1- 2, 7)  When I read this, I feel even more assured, because I know God will repay every one according to their works who does not believe in Christ.

Even though saved, I still go through periods of anxiety and bebotherment.  There is nobody who is totally focused on God all their day, and all the bible's wisdom is in their head, that they can remember their hope in God, that it erase their troubles immediately, but it is surely the right way to cut the intensity of whatever ails you!  "Why art thou cast down, O my soul?  And why art thou disquieted in me?  Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance." (Psa. 42:5)  Job had his troubles, and you didn't see him happy when he lost all he had, right?  Yet; this is a good thing to train the mind with, that we should picture Him, and have it remind us that He is in charge and will protect us and carry us through whatever it is that is currently perplexing us!

It is written that when people are doers of the laws of God, He gives them peace, even from their enemies; isn't that some stress relief?  "When a man's ways please the LORD, He maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him." (Prov. 16:7)  So if your enemies are not at peace with you, it may be an indicator that your ways are not pleasing the Lord?  From the proverb verse, it would seem to indicate that.  If we choose evil ways, would we not certainly pay a consequence for the chosen behavior?  And if we choose to behave as we know Christians ought from all that we've read in the bible, should not the wisdom of God's holy word give us a natural protection from the consequence of folly in walking otherwise?

Whenever we have things that may cause worry or anxiety, say, for a situation, like someone having something against us, or a human condition, say, an illness, we have a Rock to recall is ours, and that He is our Champion!  "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness.  Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish.  Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought.  For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, 'Fear not; I will help thee.'" (Isa. 41:10 - 13)

One of my children in Christ has told me that she is looking for a job, and she has been crestfallen about it.  I have reminded her of the three answers God has to prayer; Yes, no, and wait.  I had prayed for her to be successful the night before, but she was unsuccessful.  She said she would try again on Monday, and I reminded her to be patient, perhaps God is still setting up a very good job for her.  When we are in need of things, we must train our minds not to be anxious or worried about our needs, because our God will supply when and what we need.  "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.  Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.  But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." (Phil. 4:6 - 9, 19)  So think on good things, God will take care of the hard stuff!

We need remember that our God is faithful as we have needs and troubles that rear their heads during our lifetime.  While we knew not the Lord in our youth (for some), when we became Christians, we placed ourselves into the hands of Christ, and we know that nobody can take us from His hand.  If we find ourselves in the same presence of wicked men, it is prudent that we be cautious, but we should also be confident that God will protect us, and worry not that God will not keep us.  "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand." (John 10:28) "  And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.  But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil." (2 Thess. 3:2 - 3)

So when you have things that cause your mind to fret, and you think you have the need to worry or be ate up with anxiety, remember to do this; "Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you." (1 Pet. 5:7)  God loves you!  Have faith that He will bring you through all your troubles and whatever reason you think you currently have for anxiety!