[5 Conversations With Christ] Anxiety / Worry Part 2Sýnishorn

Anxiety and Worry Are about Control

Anxiety is certainly much more than just feeling nervous, restless, or tense. It is a growing condition that a person feels without necessarily allowing negative thoughts to take over his or her mind. It is not a result of losing faith or of lacking faith. Given that the Bible tells us in Philippians 4:6 that we should be anxious about nothing, many believers have been led to believe they cannot ever be anxious, or they are weak in their faith or unable to trust God. However, anxiety is not just related to faith. At the emotional level, it is an indicator that a person is suffering from more complicated matters. It can also be identified as a spiritual attack—an assault of not only the mind, but the heart. Therefore, anxiety is not a matter to be taken lightly. You should not feel guilty about being anxious. The devil knows how to launch anxiety attacks, and he does so mostly during times of stress.  

The Word tells us, in 1 Peter 5:7, to cast all our anxieties on the Lord because He cares for us. This affirmation means Jesus understands how burdensome life can be and how anxiety can become a stronghold for the devil. Remember you are valuable to God; you are worth much more than the lilies of the field. God knows how to provide for you in times of need.

Anxiety and worry are generally an issue of control. Most of us want to be able to provide for ourselves, so we can be in control. We want to take control when facing challenges in order to ease the crisis, or so we think. It is easier to have enough to pay the bills than to sit and wait for the Lord to provide. The hardest thing is not being able to work and wait in peace until the provision comes. Perceived control creates calm, but lack of control creates fear. It is only normal for a person to feel anxious when things are out of one’s control. However, in the Christian life, the challenge is to surrender control to our Lord Jesus Christ and to wait for his response. This is, certainly, one of the hardest things to learn as we grow spiritually. It takes faith to be able to surrender control, and it takes a strong character to be able to wait on the Lord.