Dear Amy,
Where does anxiety come from?
Anxiety is so perniciously faith-destroying. If we are not careful we can find ourselves dwelling in imagined futures of dissatisfaction and disappointment, dragged down into doubting the goodness and faithfulness of God, into that awful place of asking in consternation: does he even care about me?
How does this happen and where does it come from?
To answer this let’s consider that question which is so often asked out of uncertainty: “What if?”⸺the question from which anxiety is crystallised. It may start with something specific, but quickly leads to more general fears.
What if all that I hope for comes to nothing, leaving only disappointment?
What if my future is only shattered dreams and heartbreak?
What if failure and shame prevail over the rest of my life?
How can we vanquish such spiritually disembowelling questions? We must, for Jesus commanded it.
Do not be anxious.
― Matthew 6:25
There are I think three things that we can do.
Firstly we have to own the question. Let’s ask a different “what if?”.
What if Jesus is faithful and true? (Revelation 19:11)
What if all the Lord’s ways are steadfast love and faithfulness? (Psalm 25:10)
What if he always keeps his promises? (Joshua 23:14, Hebrews 10:23, Numbers 23:19)
What if there’s nothing he won’t do for his beloved sons and daughters? (Romans 8:32)
What if he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight? (Ephesians 1:4)
What if he is transforming each one of us into the likeness of Christ? (2 Corinthians 3:18)
What if he will surely see this work through to completion? (Philippians 1:6)
Do you see? We can own this question in the Lord! Praise him!
Secondly, we must notice the context in which Jesus gave that commandment.
Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
― Matthew 6:25
Therefore! Why therefore? Because Jesus has just been talking about treasure in heaven.
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
― Matthew 6:21
Our treasure must be in heaven. Oh what protection from anxiety we experience when we keep our treasure in that unassailable place.
And thirdly:
Do not be anxious about anything, 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 your minds in Christ Jesus.
― Philippians 4:6-7
While our treasure may be in heaven, the Lord’s blessing is not withheld until then. How he dotes on his sons and daughters, on us, and how he lavishes his love upon us, right here and right now. We must rest in that love, thanking him, acknowledging him as the source of all that his good in our lives, bringing to him all those things that are on our minds, and receiving from him his most blessed and wonderful peace.
Do not be anxious about anything, Amy! 🙏❤️