Cancelling Out Anxiety


Some thoughts on Anxiety (and how to make it disappear). 
Feeling a touch of anxiety these days?  Maybe a ton?  Anybody have none?  The “nones” among us are aliens from another world.  An obviously less stressful and chaotic world.  The other “nones” are machines.  Perfectly programmed robots immune to what normally stimulates a human beings thoughts and feelings.  They can’t feel peace or joy either and so they should have our sympathy.  There are other possibilities.  More realistic alternatives but no less disturbing.  Like the person in denial who refuses to acknowledge their own pain and loss and what’s sadder the loss and pain of others. 
The truth is that the world is a troubling place.  There are myriad, nearly innumerable reasons to stress.  Originally, God created perfect order and a world where stress made no sense.  Chaos and disorder slithered in and took root.  Disorientation has blossomed and gone viral until we have a full-blown pandemic of worry and anxiety. 
Stress and anxiety are a normal in what we call a “fallen world.”  But a state of panic and worry don’t have to define our existence.  Because the God who created this world hasn’t abandoned His creation or His creating beings because we’ve fallen for the lie of the devil.  There’s an opportunity today to embrace the truth.  And the truth comforts the stressed, the anxious and the worried.  And the truth is that…
God transcends the world He created and yet is active in it.  And His intentions for us and for His world are just.  We’re unjust by nature (Romans 3:23).  But He wants to justify us (Romans 3:26).  He put a plan in place to secure for us a just standing before God.  And the justified have peace with God (Romans 5:1).  Think about it.  When we’re at peace with a loving and well-intentioned Creator what’s there to worry about? 
Start reading the Psalms and you’ll not read long before you’re deeply impressed by two important truths.  One is that even the people of God get anxious.  The other is that God comforts His people.  He reassures us.  He stabilizes the shaking ground underneath us.  And like it says in Romans 8 He is for us and not against us. 
Two important passages come to mind when I think about the reasons I stress.  One is Matthew 6.  Essentially Jesus asks us why we’re worried.  He says that He takes care of plants, birds and our bodies.  Why fret?  Have faith.  We’re important to Him and so we should seek God and His interests and He’ll handle our interests.   The interests that shouldn’t be a priority we’ll learn to put away.  The interests that keep us up at night He take care of.  I love to say to my brothers and sisters in Christ:  God has our back. 
Finally consider Philippians 4:6.  Paul says in effect, “Don’t be anxious.  There’s prayer.”  This access we have to God through Christ is better than hot tubs and Tylenol.  Longer lasting.  Better relief and much more reliable. 
There are so many more Bible-based reasons to take your worry to God where it can dissipate as you pray.  And be replaced with faith, peace, love, joy and hope.    Like it says in Matthew 6:33 – “Keep seeking Him…”

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