Being anxious means succumbing to worry. Anxiety is usually based on fear of the unknown future. Christians appear to be the most anxious people among other religious groups. Although we profess our God is able, in practice we panic as if our God is not capable or does not exist whereas other faiths or creeds hold their deities with confidence even if they lack competence.
Jesus knows God is able to satisfy our needs. Jesus has equal capacity to satisfy our needs based on the Father’s authority which he has, hence Jesus spoke from a clear point of knowledge that we must not be anxious or harbor fear. There are two types of fear, positive fear which is reverence for God; and negative fear which is succumbing to Satan’s antics in spite of what God says.
Negative fear or anxiety
Jesus spoke against being anxious. He said in Matthew 6: 25-34; Luke 12: 22, therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air… Are you not of more value than they? And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life?… So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.
Jesus was clear about why we should not be anxious. We cannot change the situation except him alone. Rather than being anxious, we should pray because prayer can move God’s hands in our favour by grace. Jesus said God provides for the birds and lilies that are helpless. Only God knows and decides on the events of tomorrow. We cannot change tomorrow. Rather than focusing on fear which gives us anxieties, Jesus wants us to focus on God who gives us eternal life. Setting the right priority matters
No challenge is eternal but life either in hell fire or heaven with Christ Jesus. Anxiety comes from the cravings of this world but Psalms 127: 2 says, it is vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives sleep to his beloved. However, trust and faith in God produces peace that enables sleep in God. Jeremiah 17: 8 says, they (those who trust in the Lord) shall be like a tree planted by water; sending out its roots by the stream. it shall not fear when heat comes, and its leaves shall stay green; in the year of drought it is not anxious, and it does not cease to bear fruit.
How to overcome or avoid anxiety
Scripture states some of the ways to avoid anxiety;
We must submit to the Holy Spirit
We will invite the Holy Spirit to lead us if we know who his business for us as enunciated in Matthew 10: 19-20; Mark 13: 11; and Luke 12. By these references, the Holy Spirit is our spokesperson and our defender in adversity. In Luke 12: 26 Jesus advises us to focus on what is in our capacity to do rather than what we have no control of. A wrong step will result in avoidable anxious moments. Unfortunately, we rather most of the time focus on what is outside our capacity.
We must submit to prayer
Paul wrote in Philippians 4: 6-7, do not worry about anything but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be known to God. Paul says rather than worry or being anxious, we must accept the status quo as the Lord’s doing and accordingly give thanks to him. 1 Timothy 4: 4-5 say for everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, provided it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by God’s word and by prayer. Our day just as its events are sanctified and well executed by God and in his hands, we must not be anxious. Our strength lies in prayer and thanksgiving at all times concerning every event in our lives.
We must exercise faith in God
We must grow in faith in order to be used by God as his channel. James 1: 6 says but ask in faith, never doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind; for the doubter, being double-minded and unstable in every way, must not expect to receive anything from the Lord. We must be stable in our belief in God rather than doubting in every situation. We must not evaluate or assess God based on human intelligence or timetable. God works by grace in his own time which is always perfect. Anxiety shows lack of trust, belief and faith in God and that makes God sad with disappointment. Matthew 21: 22 says whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive.
We must believe in Christ Jesus
Jesus said in John 14: 1 do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. A prayer to Jesus is a prayer to God; and so is when we believe in Jesus. We will be anxious if we doubt the words of Jesus. Jesus said to the father of the convulsed child in Mark 9: 23-24, all things can be done for the one who believes. Immediately the father of the child cried out, I believe; help my unbelief. Jesus wants us to believe in his name. He said in John 14: 1, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. Whoever wants to taste miracles must believe in Jesus. John 14: 12 says, very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. We are commanded to believe in Jesus in 1 John 3: 23.
We must know who God is
Many have heard of God but only few know him. Knowing God expiates anxiety. Numbers 23: 19 says God is not a human being, that he should lie, or a mortal, that he should change his mind. Has he promised, and will he not do it? Has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it? When we equate God’s nature to a human being, we will suffer from anxiety based on human limitation. Isaiah 55: 8 says, for my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
God’s nature differs from ours. He is a perfect God who executes his plans faithfully in perfection. He speaks peace to our souls through Christ Jesus. When Jesus was born, the angels said in Luke 2: 14”Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favours!” If we allow Christ Jesus to take charge of our affairs, anxiety will succumb to his authority.
Prayer
Dear Lord Jesus, may your words of caution, assurance and comfort dispel our anxious moments when we deviate from your course. Heal us with your peace which you brought to the world on your coming in human flesh. Help us to leave the world behind us and to focus on the cross where there is no anxiety. We humbly pray in your holy name, Amen!!
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