The Antidote to Anxiety

There are plenty of reasons to be anxious today: global uncertainty, information overload, economic pressures, loneliness, chaos in our country, and fear of the unknown to name just a few. Many feel like Charles M. Schulz when he wrote, “I have a new philosophy. I'm only going to dread one day at a time!” Anxiety has reached epidemic proportions. God’s Word gives us some clear directives as Christ followers about how we can deal with anxiety in our lives and thankfully, no “dread” is required.

The Apostle Paul declared, “...do not be anxious about anything…” (Phil 4:6a ESV). I find myself saying back to those words, Wait…you don’t know how hard things are today, you don’t know how much we have to be anxious about. But his statement is a timeless truth that helps solve one of life’s great challenges. Paul goes on to tell us how not to be anxious, “...in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 4:6b-7 ESV)

I love the wonderful combination that helps guard our hearts and minds against anxiety. The first thing he says we should do is pray. When life comes at us hard, it is crucial to cast our cares upon God, and remind ourselves that He is sovereign, faithful, and in control. Supplication is a type of prayer entrusting ourselves into God’s care and admitting our inability to be in control. This is what we mean when we pray, “Thy will be done!” We are saying we trust you Lord, even when things feel out of control.

Paul goes on to remind us that we should be grateful. Author Melody Beattie describes being thankful like this, "Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity." Gratitude helps us remember what God has done in the past. This can help us face anything that comes at us. Thankful prayer, according to Paul, can result in a peace that surpasses understanding, which can only be attributed to God. I love the image of God as the one who guards our minds and protects us from harm. He does not want us to allow even a bit of anxiety, because anxiety proves we do not understand who is really in control. 

So through prayer, supplication, and thanksgiving, let’s all enter into His perfect peace that goes far beyond our ability to comprehend it.

Expectantly,

Shawn