Archive Poster : August 2023
Anxiety. Worry. Concern that something will go wrong. Heart palpitations. Feeling hot. A pit in the stomach. Restlessness. Racing thoughts. Sweaty palms. What does anxiety feel like for you? And what do you do with that experience?
All of us feel anxious at times. When we are not sure we're safe. When something we want or care about may be in jeopardy. It can help us protect what's important to us. But there are ways we can respond to anxiety that make it feel worse. We can sometimes get anxious about feeling anxious. We can interpret our worry as something being wrong with us. We may have even heard a "christian" message that anxiety means a lack of faith.
When we criticise ourselves for our anxiety, or try to avoid our worries hoping they will go away, it only serves to make us feel worse.
God doesn't ask you to pretend you're not anxious. He knows your worries and fears. Even more than that, he cares deeply about you and what you are experiencing.
As 1 Peter 5:7 says, "Cast all your anxieties on God because he cares for you."
Anxiety is part of life in this troubled world. But the bible teaches we can take our worries to the loving God of this world. We can call out to him in our distress. We can express our fears to him. We can put our anxiety into his loving capable hands. This doesn't mean our troubles will disappear but it does mean we are not in them alone -- we have the ruler of the universe caring for us in them.
Do you have anxiety you can cast on to God now?
Prayer: Dear God, I feel so anxious and worried right now about ______________. Will you please help me with this? Will you please be with me in my troubles and help me trust you care.
In Jesus name, Amen.
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