Bring Anxiety To God (1)

“His peace will guard your hearts and minds.” (Philippians 4:7, NLT).

Anxiety is the curse of the modern era, but it’s not a new trend. Throughout Scripture, Jesus talked a lot about anxiety, stress and fear. In fact, He mentioned them repeatedly in his teachings.

In one teaching, Jesus said, “Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or…what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life” (Matthew 6:25-27 NIV)?

Now, Jesus didn’t say these words just to relieve our fears and worries. What He was doing was commanding us not to be anxious because it demonstrates a lack of faith in God’s faithfulness to us.

Paul writes: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7, NLT).

Instead of letting fear and anxiety control you, you can have peace by bringing your worries to God in prayer, thanking him by faith for the answer, and trusting him to work things out as only he can.

In Matthew 11:26, the Lord says, “Come to me…and I will give you rest.”

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illnesses in the nation. That was never part of God’s plan.

Jesus says, “come to me, all you who are…burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28-29, NIV).

When oxen work side by side in the fields, they are yoked together and share the workload. That’s what Jesus wants you to do: work in harness with Him. Can you think of anyone better to share your load?

It makes you wonder why we wait so long to take Him up on his offer! He then goes on to say, ‘Don’t always think about what you will eat or what you will drink, and don’t keep worrying… your Father knows you need them.

But seek God’s Kingdom, and all your other needs will be met as well’ (Luke 12:29-31 NCV). Jesus gives us the perfect perspective on life. You can’t add one day to your life span by worrying, but you can certainly shorten it through stress and anxiety.

Think about it: the birds don’t sit around in the trees and worry about what they will eat tomorrow. No, they sing without a care in the world. And the lilies don’t sweat about how they will grow or if they will get enough rain to survive.

All of God’s creation except man does not have a care in the world. And since your heavenly Father cares even more for His people, you can be sure He will take care of you.

So, what are you going to do? Worry and fret, or pray and have peace? The choice is yours.

By Alfred Nyamekye