Anxiety and Worry

“Do not be anxious about anything” Paul wrote to the Philippian Church. Instead of being worried, we should, by means of prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, bring our concerns to God” (Philippians 4:6).

And we do, and it helps. We have a relationship with God; we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit and thus we are connected. Scripture urges us to pray and we do and see many answers our prayers.

            Often I do not see the answers as they occur. It may take months, even years, before I see that a prayer was answered, and this without talking myself into it. It simply becomes apparent.

At the same time, I still worry. And likely so do you.

To be like Jesus

Based on my extensive reading of the Gospels, not bragging here, but I have preached through Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, verse by verse, at least twice each. If Jesus was ever worried like I get worried, well, I do not see it. Even reading ‘in between the lines’ Jesus is calm, cool, and collected.

            Jesus was well aware of the dangers He faced. Three times He announced to the Twelve that He would be killed. He knew what was coming. The kingdom was squarely upon His shoulders.

            He did not fear His opponents, He did not withdraw from them, except to pray, and on a time or two, to protect His disciples, got out of harm’s way by going north to Galilee. He was vulnerable, only two swords in the armory, and He faced every challenge.

To be honest about it

I am not like Jesus much of the time. When I was younger, I was less anxious. Now, in my seventh decade, I find I have lost certain strength. Yes, I still go out to the prison to do baseball, coach high school baseball, stand in front of the television camera, and preach away on Sunday morning, but I can tell I have changed.

What to do about it? is a serious question.

Helpful hints?

First off, I am not going to conceal my weaknesses. I do talk about them, in prayer, with my wife, and with a close friend or two. I can be honest with God, too. What would I conceal? And, how could I do so if I tried?

            I recall right now words from a hymn, “He knows my every weakness.” Neither the title of the hymn nor the author comes to mind, but I attest to what he or she spoke of.

Second, my sin is all forgiven. The devil cannot get at me. I just keep confessing my sin (see 1 John 1:8-2:2), walk away forgiven and blessed, and keep going.

            I have a habit I am trying to break. I speak of myself in negative ways. “I am a bad man.” “I never get it right.” “I ought to be fired.” “I need to resign from the church.” “I am just your average jerk.” (This last one I have said from the pulpit a number of times, I must confess.)

            This is not healthy for me and I know it. Writing this chapter helps remind me that saying such things to myself is not healthy. By God’s grace I am stopping this practice.

Third, my Christian friends encourage me. The brotherhood of believers can be so supportive. I have learned not to hang with those who like to criticize and be judgmental; this is not the way of Christ at all.

            Are such folk Christians? I refer to those who delight in pointing out our flaws? Not always, and in a Christian fellowship of any kind, one is never sure. I suspect those who desire to encourage and build up are the real brothers and sisters in Christ.

Four, maybe I am a little weird sometimes, and so I know I need to be humble and not hesitate to ask for forgiveness.

            This can be overdone, to the point of ridiculousness. I do not want to be so super sensitive that I shut down, fearful I might do or say the wrong thing. I am talking about our own personal acceptance of who we are. We are not actors on a stage, or job seekers trying to impress. We are who we are, and our job, one of them anyway, is to like ourselves.

Five, be able to laugh it off. We will do odd things, say things we wish we had not. So what?

            We need not take ourselves so seriously. We have to be free to be ourselves, also.

Six, we can be self-affirming, “Yes, as a matter of fact, I do well managing a baseball game.” “I think my books serve a real purpose and a lot of people like them.” “My preaching is improving.” “This is the best period in my life.”

            You get it I know, and I am not worried about making mistakes along the way. I have to get over being worried about what others think of me. I want to be the best me, but I am not always the best me. Okay!

Casting our cares

What the Apostle Peter wrote for us in chapter five verses six and seven, of his first letter to the churches, is so very helpful.

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

I am only going to focus on the “casting all your anxieties’” part of the sentence.

Here is our word, anxiety, and here in the plural, anxieties. Does Peter expect the believers he is addressing to have anxiety? The answer is easy.

            Just because one is a Christian does not mean one does not get anxious. I say this because I have known some who would say, “Well, if you worry you cannot be a Christian.”

            Where does thinking like this come from? Not from the Bible. Not from the mainstream teaching of the Church down through the centuries. Not from the Holy Spirit. Where then? I will let it go, it is not worth the time and trouble.

A last word

Here it is, and this is not the first time I have made this point, but it needs to be made again. “Casting all our” cares, concerns, worries, anxieties, fears, and whatever else is skulking around in there, casting these on Him. And by “him” we mean, the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Will you be able to do this? Probably not like you would like to, but you hope to obey the Word, and this is what counts.

If necessary, make a list of your worries. Each time you pray, get the list out and bring each one, again and again, in prayer to the God who loves you.

I doubt I will ever get to the place where I have put all my anxieties and worries behind me. No, I won’t, but I keep doing what Scripture invites me to do anyway.