"Anxiety"

Pastor Mark A. Callister

How many of you struggle with anxiety?

One definition of anxiety is, “An abnormal and overwhelming sense of apprehension and fear often marked by physiological signs, by doubt concerning the reality and nature of the threat, and by self-doubt about one’s capacity to cope with it.”

Your anxiety may look like anything. Your child is making bad choices and you fear where that will lead. The economy is down and you worry about your financial future. You feel some new pain in your body and are convinced the diagnosis will be the worst possible proclamation. You read the headlines and know that Armageddon is upon us. You might be unwilling to go into the basement because of spiders.

I have always loved sports. When my body was younger, I loved playing sports, now that my body is older, I love playing sports, on my TV. The only problem is that now when my team is not doing well, I feel my anxiety climbing a ladder. Sometimes I wonder if my love of the game is enough to overshadow the intense, momentary anxiety that comes along with it.

Concern is a good thing, concern for my children, concern for the economy, concern for my health, concern about the future. Concern helps us to address problems and attempt to bring about resolve or positive change. Anxiety is concern gone wild. Anxiety paralyzes us. It eats away at our minds, damages our bodies and steals our peace.

Philippians 4:6-7 gives us wonderful truth about dealing with anxiety. It says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Put this truth into practice. Some might be anxious about everything, but most of us are anxious about just one thing. Take that one thing that has you tied up in knots and present it to God in prayer. Tell Him all about it. Tell Him what you want done with it. Tell Him your heart on the matter and then thank Him for what He is going to do.

“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Then stay out of the basement because it is absolutely full of spiders.