Anxiety and Worry
By Randy Blackaby

At one time or another, almost all of us worry about things over which we have no control, over things that probably will never happen. If we worry enough, our mental outlook becomes anxious, and we become discouraged and feel a constant sense of failure. If we allow ourselves to continue in this state, we become depressed and unable to function normally. Essentially, worry is unnecessary fear about the unknown. Further, it usually is an expression of weak or absent faith.

Jesus said, "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, 0 you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." {Matthew 6:25-34}

The Apostle Paul repeated this teaching in shorter form when he wrote in Philippians 4:6, "Be anxious for nothing, but 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 minds through Christ Jesus."

A psalmist of some years declared his observation of the truth of all this when he wrote, "I have been young and am now old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging bread." Those who ignore this divine teaching set themselves up for misery and depression, sometimes even suicide. Proverbs 18:14 says, "The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, but who can bear a broken spirit?" If the will to live is broken, if confidence is gone, a person is miserable.

We often speak of this latter state as being depressed. A depressed person feels hopeless, can't find happiness in anything, and is paralyzed in terms of making decisions or accomplishing things. This feeling lies deep within a person. Proverbs 17:22 says: "a broken spirit dries the bones." In other words, a broken or depressed spirit makes you feel lifeless or nearly dead. If you find yourself with a broken spirit or depressed, what can you do? The cure consists of two basic elements-love and faith. If you know God loves you, that He gave his son to die for your sins, why should you worry about being hurt by lesser things?

We also need to actively practice love, to do things for others. So much of depression and anxiety comes as the result of focusing on ourselves (selfishness) and engaging in self-pity. Love doesn't allow selfishness and self-pity; it focuses on others.

And faith is, above all, the key. Faith has confidence in God's care for us, even though we can't see the future or how He will provide. Nevertheless, Christians "walk by faith and not by sight." (2 Corinthians 5:7) Jesus rebuked his disciples when they began to be afraid as a storm tossed them about on the Sea of Galilee. He said they had little faith.

How's your faith? One way to determine the answer is by examining your worry and anxiety levels. If they're high, your faith may be low. If your faith is low or diminished, you may need to read and meditate more on God's word. We are told, "So then, faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17)

Let's also remember that each of us has the ability to speak words of encouragement to those who have broken spirits. We can help and uplift them. When we do, it encourages our own spirits. And be sure that a part of that uplifting process involves teaching or talking about the truth written in God's word.

What some others have said about worry.

"Worry is the interest paid on trouble before it comes due." --Dean Inge

"Worry, the interest paid by those who borrow trouble." --George W. Lyon

"There are two days in the week about which and upon which I never worry. Two carefree days, kept sacredly free from fear and apprehension. One of these days is yesterday...and the other day I do not worry about is tomorrow." --R. J. Burdette, The Golden Day

"He is miserable once who feels it, but twice who fears it before it comes." --A proverb

Brother Blackaby has provided us with some good food for thought. I'm afraid that many of God's children struggle with the worry problem. Strong faith is the key to overcoming this problem. When the world throws you a "curve," the strength or weakness of your faith immediately becomes apparent. God's people are not immune to life's difficulties--sickness, death, pain, our children's poor choices, unfair treatment from others, and the everyday problems to which we're subjected.

Surely, we all understand God's great love for us. His word is full of passages that express the love and concern He feels for us. God is waiting, with arms and ears open, to help us-we have but to trust Him and ask. But we must be willing and able to accept His answers.

God knows our needs, even before we ask (Matthew 6:8). His will must be done in all matters. I may pray for relief from some problem, but God might answer by allowing it to continue a while longer. Do you trust Him enough to submit, and to try to bear the load a little longer? Many times, our struggles intensify because we fight so hard against God's answers. Why? His answers aren't always what we anticipate.

Dear readers, let us truly put our trust and faith in the One in whose image we are made--the Son who gave His life because He loved us. Turn your worries and cares over to God and let Him work on them. The question is: will you do your part, or will you continue to worry needlessly? (KMG)


Go Back to our Main Page