Anxiety
Posted by Dion Todd September 10th, 2023 3,977 Views 0 Comments
Anxiety from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo.
I want to talk about something plaguing so many people today: Anxiety, a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about something with an uncertain outcome.
It has always been a problem. Jesus spoke about it, but it has grown to epidemic proportions in modern times. I believe that it is partly because we are bombarded all day long by advertisements. The latest clothing trends are displayed on supermodels that we can't measure up to. Vacation getaways that we can't afford. Food, drink, clothing, cars, an endless stream of "stuff" that we are told to buy in order to be happy.
Medical ads sell us sickness. They urge people to see their doctor and complain about a symptom. Nielsen estimates that there are over eighty drug ads per hour on American television. Why do they do this? Because it is profitable, not because they care for the people.
For example, in 1986, there was an allergy medication called Seldane that made about $34 million in sales a year. Doctors were not prescribing it enough for the drug manufacturer, so they decided to market it directly to the consumers by advertising it on television.
The sales of Seldane quickly grew to $800 million. Then, it was found that it caused heart problems and was pulled from the shelves. Oops. Sadly, some people who were not even sick were probably made sick by it, but the drug company made a nice profit, and directly marketing prescription drugs to consumers became the new normal.
(Matthew 6:31–34 NKJV) “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.
What shall we eat? What shall we drink? What shall we wear? You can open almost any magazine today, and those are still the ads that you see. That is what the world focuses on and always has. It is the earthly trinity: what to eat, what to drink, and what to wear. We, as humans, were made in God's image and are called to be more than that.
Jesus had just finished saying that you cannot serve God and money, for you will love one and hate the other. Now, He turns to its partner: anxiety. Jesus knew that a materialistic culture leads to anxiety regardless of whether one is rich or poor, and three times in this text, the Lord tells us not to be anxious:
(v. 25) "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life…"
(v. 31) "Therefore do not be anxious…"
(v. 34) "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow…"
The truth is that some of us have suffered much more in this world than ever actually happened to us simply because we borrowed trouble from tomorrow. We fear everything because everything is possible, and we have access to so much information through the internet, social media, radio, and television. Most of us know about diseases that didn't even have a name in previous generations. There is simply too much bad news throughout our day.
A terrible fact is that stress and worry are one of the great contributors to disease and poor health. It is a self-fulfilling prophecy. The more we fear it, the worse it becomes.
What should we do about it? Jesus said: "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." God promises to take care of our needs when He is first in our life.
What does seeking His kingdom look like, and what is it? According to Romans 14:17, The Kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
To me, seeking His kingdom is inviting and honoring God in whatever we are doing today. For example, we rarely have to choose between honoring God and loving our spouse because we honor God "by" loving our spouse.
In much the same way, we honor God when we are good workers. Paul wrote in: (Colossians 3:23–24 NKJV) "And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ."
Once, after a season of unemployment, I got a job in a plant and began by sweeping the floors with a big push broom. At the time, I was fasting a lot, attending Bible college, and trying to learn all I could about the Lord. I knew He was in control of my life, and I involved Him in every decision I made.
I turned the job into a game and prayed during the day: "Lord, I am sweeping this floor for You. This is the job that You gave me to do, and this floor is going to shine when I am done!" I smiled through the day, whistled, swept, and listened to the Bible with headphones. Soon, I was the manager. I can tell you this: serve God happily where You are, and He will take notice.
Don't try to live in the future. No one ever sank under the burden of today. It's when tomorrow's burden is added to the burden of today that the weight becomes more than you can bear.
Take life one day at a time. Live in the present and don't borrow trouble from tomorrow. It isn't wrong to remember the past or to plan for the future. Both of those are good in moderation. Yet, it's easy to become too focused on the past or the future and ignore the present or the person sitting before you. God wants us to remember the past, plan for the future, but live in the present.
Enjoy the life that God has given you so far. Don't get caught up in the "then syndrome" and believe that "one-day things are going to be trouble-free," or "When I get married…" or "When I have children…" or "When I get a better job…"
Jesus said that each day has enough trouble of its own. So "tomorrow," the future, will also have trouble. It's unavoidable. Face it with a smile, and take a moment to thank God for something that is good in your life. Include Him in your decisions throughout the day and ask His advice.
I don't care how bad your life is messed up. If you align with God, the right doors will open for you. Oh yes, He cares. He loves us. When we focus on living a life pleasing to Him, His blessings will chase us down. Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Trust God to take care of tomorrow when it comes, and don't be so anxious.
You can pray this with me if you like:
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I submit my life to You. I know You know what is best and will take care of me. Please remove my anxiety and give me the grace and wisdom to trust You. Show Yourself strong in my life. Please speak to me and through me. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!