Matthew 6:25-34 (NIV)
Pay attention to the red-lettered questions Jesus asks.
Anxiety. Where does it come from? Biology and genetics? Environmental factors? Brain chemistry and function? Medical causes? Substances? Cognitive factors? Seems that’s what the “experts” say. I know I suffer from anxiety. I have all my life. I hide it well. It’s a sad tale. My constant worry is about always getting it right. What if I make a wrong decision? What if I end up making a fool out of myself due to a wrong decision? I don’t necessarily get anxious about what others think of me. Of course, I’m pleased if I’m liked, but it’s not what triggers my anxiety. I’m pretty much neutral if someone doesn’t like me. I feel I can’t do anything about that. I can only control how I receive it. I guess I’m pretty thick-skinned when it comes to that. My anxiety stems from the pressure I put on myself. Whether or not I’ve made God proud that day. Did I accomplish everything I needed to accomplish?
Photo by Henrikke Due on Unsplash
When I read these passages, I see myself in verse 34. “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” And in that is my anxiety. The fact that I can read that verse. I can understand that verse intellectually and common-sense-wise. I just can’t seem to apply it to my anxiety. I see the world and the chaos, and I grow anxious for my kids and my grandkids and my great-grandkids. I read the verse, knowing in my head it is the absolute truth, yet feeling anxious about the future.
I find my anxiety also stems from my past. Guilt, shame, or more likely self-forgiveness or even self-condemnation. It’s like sitting in your sin. I ask God every time I pray to forgive my past sins. Some might say, “You aren’t trusting in God and His forgiveness.” Or, “Where is your faith?” My answer to that is I do trust, and I do have faith in God. The problem is me. My unworthiness. I came upon this message about anxiety that helps. It asked if anxiety is on the throne of my heart or is Jesus. If I ask Jesus to take over the throne of my heart, to guide me to a place where forgiveness lives, my past sins no longer drive the anxiety. That’s something I can get my brain (and my heart) around.
So, Jesus is on a hillside near the Sea of Galilee. He’s delivering the Sermon on the Mount. The people are on the hill, and Jesus is on the bank. The world was uncertain during this time, and the people were anxious about food, clothing, shelter, and jobs. They were in fear of terrorism, taxes, and the political climate—sound familiar?
Today, we live in this twenty-four/seven news cycle, which adds to our/my current anxiety. Sleep deprivation adds to our anxiety. I might fit into that category as well. Here’s a little good news. It’s normal to be anxious. The question is, how do we handle it? Like Jesus said: Can you add anything to your life by being anxious?
Let’s look at handling it:
- Understand it—turn our worries, our anxieties over to God.
- Live with joy, passion, and faith. That’s why God sent Jesus.
- Most worries or anxieties are unproductive.
- We forget God is God. His shoulders are big enough for all of us. We just need to remember that God is with us.
Materialism—how do you deal with it?
- Getting our priorities in order.
- Remembering that God provides more than enough.
- Having everything you need and not everything you want.
- Remembering that we can’t serve two masters.
Jesus challenged His followers to seek first the kingdom of God, and all these things will be given to you.
God is with us through our entire life—the bad yesterday—the bad today—the bad tomorrow. The key is to trust God with all our tomorrows.
Worries/anxieties fade when we trust God.
Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash
And that’s what I learned in Church……see ya next time!
