Philippians 4:4-6 “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
Many people today are feeling unusually anxious. That includes feeling afraid, weight on your shoulders, overwhelming uneasiness… But Christians shouldn’t have anxiety! Right? Many say, just give it to God.
We feel deflated, hurt, angry… Is it possible to actually not feel anxious about anything? We have bills to pay, kids to raise, relational issues, health challenges, job stress, inflation, and what about the price of eggs or a gallon of milk?
If you say you have plenty to be anxious about, you are not alone…
We are coming out of the Pandemic which made things that much worse. Just trying to adjust to our new normal.
This anxiety is extremely complex. It is all over the anxiety spectrum. Everyone has some or occasional anxiety which includes uneasiness and discomfort. Other have textbook anxiety. Even others still have extreme presentations such as a crushing and debilitating dread, shortness of breath, heart rate rises, feeling like the walls are closing in, and you just can’t function in a normal capacity.
So here it is, God cares and wants to help. Anxiety isn’t a sin. It is a symptom which should be interpreted as a signal that your body needs some attention. Just as the red light on the dashboard of your car tells you that there might be something wrong with your engine. In both cases, don’t focus on the alarm, seek the solution.
2 Chronicles 20: 6-9 tells us that God is all powerful which no one can withstand, and that he will fight for us, and if we cry out to God in distress, he will hear us and save us.
God cares and if it is on your mind, it is on God’s heart! If it is big enough to worry about, it is big enough to pray about.
Remember, it is not a sin to be anxious, it is a signal to seek help. So, pray to God, then take it back. Own it and know that you can do it with God’s help. First step, pause and clear your mind. Second step, don’t dwell on the negative. Your brain will get very use to that. Focus on the positive. Get your brain use to that instead. Change your brains diet. Seek some professional help from a counselor who explores the root of your anxiety. Don’t be afraid.
Pray to God, Pause for clarity, and Praise God!
Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”