March 10, 2016

Imagine A Life Without Anxiety

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Philippians 4:1-9

Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved. I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, 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 your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

What makes you anxious?

Anxiety is a sense of nervous anticipation that arises when we think about what might happen. When we experience significant anxiety, our minds will start racing and often times we develop physical symptoms as well. It’s not uncommon for an anxious person to experience headaches, upset stomach, chest pain, or difficulty sleeping. Strong negative anxiety, usually resulting from fear, can be paralyzing to the point where, in some people, anxiety becomes so strong they suffer panic attacks.

We get anxious about all kinds of things. Relationships often make us anxious. Finances do as well. We get anxious about the future and then turn around and get anxious about the past. We can become anxious about our jobs or about the college we might (or might not) attend. We sometimes experience anxiety around our physical health, or maybe it’s health insurance that makes you anxious. Or the price of gas. Or the weather.

We get anxious about all kinds of things.

Then Paul says, “do not be anxious about anything” (Philippians 4:6).

Imagine a life without anxiety. Different. Better. Relaxed. Wouldn’t that be amazing? Can we really live without anxiety? How? Paul does not simply tell his readers to stop being anxious. He provides three helpful mindsets to cultivate in their lives that can replace anxiety.

Rejoice

First, he urges the saints to “rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice” (Philippians 4:4). To “rejoice” is simply to delight or to take joy. It can be difficult to always rejoice. If we aim to rejoice in our circumstances, we will likely fail. That’s why Paul says, “rejoice in the Lord,” because the Lord is always worthy of our delight. We can choose to rejoice in the Lord because, well, He’s the Lord!

Be Reasonable

Then Paul says, “Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand” (Philippians 4:5). Often times anxiety results from irrational thinking. We panic. We assume the worst. We “borrow trouble.” We forget that the “Lord is at hand.” Paul encourages his readers to be reasonable. Think things through. If the Lord is indeed “at hand,” does it make sense to worry so much? Clear thinking, through the lens of a clear understanding that God is always present, will help eliminate anxiety.

Pray With Thankfulness

Paul gives one more imperative. He tells the saints in Philippi to “not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6). Instead of allowing anxiety to rule in our hearts, Paul gives instruction to instead pray about everything with an attitude of thanksgiving. This is brilliant advice. Prayer reminds us that God is good and that He’s present. When we go to God in prayer, we’re showing that we trust Him. That by itself will reduce anxiety. When you add in an attitude of gratefulness, it’s the perfect combination to address anxiety in our lives.

The best thing about this final command from Paul is that it comes with a promise. If we choose to replace anxiety with thankfulness, going to God with prayer in everything, Paul promises that “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7). Isn’t that amazing? Consider a heart guarded by the peace of God. There would be no room in that heart for anxiety!

Paul then reiterates this command and promise with these powerful words: “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 4:8-9).

When we remember who God His, when we remember that He is near, we experience the comfort and protection of His supernatural peace and we can indeed “be anxious for nothing.”

Our Response

What is your greatest cause of anxiety? Is it reasonable? Are you willing to pray about anything and everything? Paul continues to talk about thankfulness. How will you remember to be thankful on a daily basis?

Write a list of people, things, and situations that typically cause you to feel anxious. Tell the folks in your Life Group or maybe a few friends about the items on your list. Then, simply pray. Ask God for help. Ask Him to clear away the anxiety and guard your heart with His peace.


This has been excerpted from the book “joy happens.” download a copy, or purchase a physical copy at the Info Center

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