Anxiety

Caroline lay awake in bed, after hitting her snooze for the 3rd time, thinking through the day ahead. The “what ifs” begin to cascade through her mind. What if her boss is disappointed with the presentation she prepared? What if her car breaks down? What if the kids get sick? What if the headaches she had recently were something serious? All her thoughts caused tension in her shoulders and worry to cloud her mind. This was not an isolated occurrence but something she struggled with daily. At times, she could be rational and not let the worry win. But too often she asked herself, “Why can’t I let go of these thoughts and just relax?” Do you relate to Caroline? Is your mind crowded with “what ifs”? While anxiety feels overwhelming, it is common and normal. In the U.S., 40 million adults face anxiety. Women are twice as likely to have anxiety. It affects all ages and backgrounds. Anxiety is not a sinful condition; it is a natural response to a fallen, broken world. Rather than reflecting a lack of trust in God, anxiety can draw us closer to Him. As Proverbs 3:5-7 (CSB) reminds us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight.” Jesus wants us to bring our concerns to Him, and as we journey through life, we will encounter troubles that may spark many emotions. Everyone will struggle with worry at some point. Occasional concern is human and, at times, wise. Many things contribute to feelings of anxiousness: busyness, over-commitment, life changes, losses, and world events. The list goes on. Excessive worry that interferes with daily life – such as interruptions in relationships and responsibilities [...]

When we look at our external and internal worlds, our lives sometimes resemble raging storms. Torrents of health issues, family matters, economic woes, and political dissension can catapult our lives into tumult. Wind howls and waves surge, tossing our lives every which way within a massive ocean. It can unsettle us, rousing questions within. We find ourselves, like Christ’s disciples, wondering if God sees us or if He cares. There is a distinct difference between our experience of reading the account and living through a storm surge. As Bible readers, we can bypass the messy middle and skip to the happier ending in just a few moments when Jesus spoke and settled the storm in His followers and the one on the sea. That is encouraging, but when we are facing significant threats, we need these stories to advise us on how to navigate and hold on, despite tempestuous situations. Jesus’ followers lived through a real storm, with a real Savior, in real-time. Their example went ahead of us to provide takeaway truth when we find ourselves tossed on life’s seas. In His interaction with followers, Jesus modeled that we first address our faith, submit our distress to Him, and speak peace to still our storms. When we surrender anxiety and worries to the Spirit whose Breath fills us, we recognize that the wind and waves do not hold sway over us. They, too, have to bow to the God that created them. The God of mercy, who created us has given us the power to call and command storms into stillness in our faith-filled words. This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children [...]