by David Marilynn Chadwick
Anxiety is today’s stronghold. The definition of anxiety is “apprehension, tension, or uneasiness, often stemming from the anticipation of danger, whether real or perceived.” It’s like a wire attached to a battery that slowly but surely drains all of the energy out of a person. Did you know there are studies that have been done that show that 90% of all of our worries NEVER end up happening. While anxiety feels very real to the person experiencing it, the anxious situation almost never happens and it ends up sucking the life out of the person who is experiencing it.
Anxiety is mentioned throughout the Bible, and not positively. Jesus addressed it in Matthew 6:19-34, Paul did in Philippians 4:4-6, and Peter did in 2 Peter 5:7. Clearly, they knew this was a problem in our sin-infested world.
So, what did they suggest in these passages of Scripture? Well, Jesus encouraged us to look at creation. Consider how God cares for the birds and grass. HOW MUCH MORE will he care for his children? The crown of his creation! Jesus encouraged childlike faith and a deep trust that our Daddy in heaven will care for us no matter what.
Then, Paul said to turn our cares into prayers. He said to take our anxieties, worries, and cares to God in prayer. We are not to worry about anything! He said that if we don’t pray, we forfeit a lot of peace and we begin to carry needless burdens.
Peter said to cast all of our cares on Jesus’s huge, broad, celestial shoulders. Did you know that the word “cast” here in the Greek is the same word Jesus used to cast out a demon? It’s a word of great force! Peter urged us to forcibly hurl our cares on Jesus because he cares for us!
Do you know how much Jesus loves you? I mean do you really, really know? He wants to carry your burden so you don’t have to. He promises this to his children!
Anxiety is a thief. It steals peace, joy, energy, and purpose. Anxiety looks at the size of Goliath instead of the size of our God. It focuses on the size of a mountain instead of the One who created the mountain. It gives power to the impossibility instead of believing that nothing is impossible for God (Luke 1:37).
Check your anxiety levels. If they are high, develop faith! Trust your Creator. Seek first his Kingdom and everything else in life falls into place (Matthew 6:33). Faith is the antidote to anxiety. How strong is your faith?
Today’s Prayer of Confession: Father God, deliver me from evil. Remove anxiety and replace it with FAITH that can move mountains (Hebrews 11:1).
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For more insight on the topic of anxiety, check out Moving Beyond Anxiety by David Chadwick. In his book, David shares 12 ways you can overcome life’s fears and worries—all of which come straight from Scripture.
Order or download your free PDF by clicking here.