The Blessing of Anxiety

Whether talking with teachers at work, overhearing conversations in public, or listening to Celebration Sunday testimonies, it is clear that anxiety is wrecking us. It’s a word that I don’t remember hearing much of  thirty years ago, but is now so common that children use it easily and are diagnosed with it. 

Anxiety is a feeling of uneasiness, worry, and excessive stress. It generates in our thoughts but can translate into our physical and emotional beings. It is the manifestation of disharmony, fearful thoughts (real or perceived) or the feeling of lack of control. It is a tension between what is and what should be.

Why are we so anxious?

First, it seems as if the pace of our modern lives does nothing to help us cultivate our hearts to receive the fruit of peace. In “Becoming a King” Morgan Snyder talks about the danger of our modern “gospel of now”.  With the help of our beloved devices, we have few moments of true rest and space to be still. The news, notifications, and noise that surrounds us drowns out the whisperings of God. Our souls were not designed to thrive in an environment with constant chatter. So it is little surprise that our anxiety levels rise steadily alongside our technology usage.

As our collective connection to God dwindles, our societal anxiety increases. This is a natural result of self reigning over faith, and the culture of “I want” overriding what God has planned for our lives. When we lack faith or are apart from God’s will for us, we experience this tension and disharmony we call anxiety.  

What if instead of accepting it as a medical label that we are permanently marked with, we saw it as the spiritual thermostat that it is? What if instead of medicating to numb or rid ourselves of this feeling of disharmony, we welcomed it, sat in it, and used it to help us transform our habits and ways to better align with our intended purpose? Like a good smartphone, God has programmed us all with internal controls and systems designed to support our optimal functioning.  “Anxiety” is God’s way of alerting us that we’re not in the flow of God’s will for our lives. 

The opposite of anxiety is peace. Peace is a state of tranquility or quiet; a state of harmony, security and freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts. It is the absence of worry–though not the absence of struggle. Peace is not something we can achieve through our own efforts or attempts. The Bible tells us that peace is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. “The Holy Spirit produced this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.” Galatians 5:22 (NLT) In Philippians 4:6-7 we are told, “Be anxious for nothing, 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 minds through Christ Jesus.”

If we are in alignment with God’s divinely designed purpose for our lives, trust in Him to guide us, and do the daily work of abiding, praising, obeying and honoring Him, then peace–even in the most difficult situations– is our portion.

Prayer: 
Lord God, we thank You for designing each of us uniquely with a perfect purpose. We ask for forgiveness and repent from all of the times that we hijack your plan for our own. You are so good, God, that you allow us free will to choose our way–even when you know it is not the best way. We thank you for giving us clear signs like anxiety to guide us back towards you. We ask for courage and your strength to stay on the narrow path; we thank you for the gift of peace that notifies us when we are there.  In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.