If you had to assess your anxiety level on a scale of 1-10, with 1 being no anxiety and 10 being extreme anxiety, where would you land? Lots of things can bring on anxiety. First of all, I want to make it clear that chemical imbalances can make anxiety a medical problem for some people and there is a need for medication. That is not the anxiety to which I am referring. I am talking about the things we worry about.
From a practical standpoint, eating healthier and exercising can help decrease anxiety. Having a hobby you enjoy, can help decrease anxiety. Watching the Braves may increase your anxiety, but that is another story! We could make a longer list of things that may or may not help with your anxiety, but that is not my purpose for this article. The truth is you will never be able to remove all the things that create stress from your life. Life comes with stress that leads to anxiety. But, are we without hope or help?
The answer is a confident no! We have hope and we have help and God’s Word is the best place to go to find encouragement and help when we find ourselves worrying about things. In Matthew 6, Jesus tells us about how God will take care of our needs. If God cares for the birds of the air and the flowers of the field. He will take care of you. That comes right after He has just told them that they can’t have two masters in their life. You see, if stuff (mammon) is the master of your life you will always be worried about losing it or getting more of it. However, if God is Master of your life, you can trust that He will take care of you. After pointing out these things Jesus says:
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.
34 Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Matthew 6:33-34
If you find yourself worried about what is going on in the world or in your life, hit pause for a moment to remind yourself of this truth! Seek God first and pursue His ways. Focus on what you can do today. When we put God first the world can’t overcome us. We will constantly have to reorient ourselves to His Word each day, but it is possible to let God be your Master and not the wind and waves around you.
Dan