DON'T BE ANXIOUS

1 Peter 5:7 AMPC

Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.


Anxiety! The new normal of society, afflicting everyone—boys, girls, men, women, grown-ups, and the young, as well as the rich and poor. Everyone! No one seems exempt from anxiety nowadays.

Jesus admonishes us in Matthew 6:34 not to be anxious, but it seems to be a tall order. Anxiety or worry is a form of pride. It takes concerns upon oneself instead of entrusting them to God, who cares for His people. But to worry is human, isn’t it?

We are anxious about so many things, as Jesus pointed out to Martha in Luke 10:41. We are anxious about job security, finances, health, children, unexpected expenses, and life itself. We even worry about tomorrow, anxiously wondering what will happen when the day hasn’t come. Worrying a little is okay, healthy, and expected, but when it becomes consuming and overwhelming, it becomes anxiety, and anxiety leads to sinful denial of God’s presence and grace in our lives.

Are you anxious over much or less? Proverbs 12:25 says anxiety in a person’s heart weighs it down. This is so true; anxiety is a weight that keeps one on the spot of doubt and delay.

There are very few things we can control in life, but we anxiously try to control anything and everything, including the weather: will it rain, snow, be sunny, windy, or not? But Jesus’s warning is against worrying or being anxious over things that are outside our control.

Anxiety mainly comes from a place of distrust of God and the priorities of our hearts. God is firmly established in the centre of our lives and circumstances, and He should be the focus of our thoughts, not anxiety.

Anxiety disorder is a real and serious illness that can last for a short or long time with a strong impact on life that may lead to long-term mental health issues. This Jesus knew, hence the caution not to be anxious. Yet so many hold on to anxiety like a talisman, thinking it would either help them function better or show their efficiency.

Circumstances and challenges raise our anxiety levels when we take our eyes off God and see only the situation. Can you just imagine the anxiety level of the Israelites when the army of Egypt was bearing down on them and the Red Sea was ahead of them with no escape route in Exodus 14? Whatever anxieties we may face in life will definitely pale in comparison to the Israelites' issues. Like Moses, we must learn to focus on God and not the anxiety-inducing problems. When we face our “chariots,” it’s normal to feel this level of anxiety and fear, but that’s when we should remember God’s faithfulness and ability to bring good out of any situation.

Give your anxiety and worry to the Lord because He cares about every area of our lives, including anxious emotions. It’s one thing and maybe okay for unbelievers to be anxious, but we must trust in our great Shepherd and heavenly Father to keep His word in caring for us as stated in Psalm 23. As the sheep trust the shepherd and are at rest in His care, so too, we must not allow anxiety to fill our hearts.

Prayer: Lord, help me to always put my trust in you when fear and anxiety surface, trusting that you will care for me. In Jesus’ name, amen.

PRAYER: Lord, help me to always put my trust in you when fear and anxiety surface, trusting that you will care for me in Jesus’ name, amen.

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