In every life there are moments and even situations that fuel anxiety. Challenges come that seem to overwhelm us. We are perplexed by what to do and often resort to our normal coping mechanisms, but when the intensity arises, they fail.
In the July/August 2008 edition of ‘Today’s Christian’ magazine, a mother tells of her struggle dealing with her college age daughter’s rebellion and drug abuse.
I knew what I had to do–abandon everything in my life and start to worry, fix and control things. I began to spend my days on the phone evaluating every reaction of Allison. ‘What if she never stops? What if I never see her again? What if she overdoses? What if she goes to jail?’
I lured Allison into therapy with a promise of eating out at her favorite restaurant. I wanted to go into the counselor’s office but wasn’t allowed to. I probed my daughter trying to find out what was happening, but no answers were forthcoming.
This went on for a number of weeks. Just when I thought she was no longer using her younger sister informed me that she still was. Of course she denied it. What was I to do?
I called a friend whose child had gone down a similar path. I hadn’t slept well for months. A quick look in the mirror revealed that I looked like an addict, with those dark hopeless circles under my eyes.
Arriving at Linda’s place, the first thing she said was, ‘You need help.’ ‘You haven’t heard the whole story,’ I said. ‘I’m fine but my daughter is a mess.’ That’s when Linda confronted me: ‘You’re addicted to worry and control, I know, I’ve been there.’ The possibility that she might be right terrified me.
She later brought me to a support group that had learned to trust God and allow Him to work in their loved ones lives. That night when I arrived home, I prayed: God, I need your help, I can’t do this without you. I purposely and daily turned over every fear, every concern and surrendered control over every situation.
Two years later meeting with my daughter for an impromptu lunch, laughing, she stated that it’s a lot easier studying when you’re not high on drugs. Then she surprised me by thanking me.
‘For what?’ I asked. ‘When you didn’t fix my problems, it scared me. A few times I had to dig for change out of my seat of my car for gas money. Some days, I didn’t have enough food. Now, I’m doing well in school and even have money in the bank.’ Recovery defies logic. It means doing the opposite of what often feels natural. When I took care of my life and my own addictions to worry, fear and anxiety, God helped my daughter take care of hers.[i]
The Mayo clinic reports that the causes of anxiety disorders are not fully understood. A number of factors such as genetics, trauma, stress, and lifestyle-related issues can be underlying factors. We all suffer moments of anxiety at various times in our lives. How should we respond to it? Does the bible have anything to say about it?
Peggy Noonan, in a Forbes magazine article, shares how eleven men and women were asked to answer the question, ‘Why are we so unhappy?’
They all agreed we were unhappy because we had lost our moral and spiritual center. Noonan stated: [Poet W. H.] Auden called his era ‘the age of anxiety.’ I think what was at the heart of the dread in those days was that we could tell we were beginning to lose God—banishing him from the scene and from our own consciousness, losing the assumption that he was part of the daily drama or its maker. It is a terrible thing when people lose God. Life is difficult, and people are afraid, and to be without God is to lose man’s greatest source of consolation and coherence…[ii]
Poet Auden described his time as ‘the age of anxiety’. Why? Because of an abandonment of God. Paul describes our former state apart from Christ as people without hope. “remember that at that time you were separated from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.” (Ephesians 2:12 NIV, 2011).
One of the chief causes of anxiety is the loss of hope. This happens quickly when we are depending upon ourselves and have lost sight of God in our situation. Yet even believers experience moments of anxiety. So, what should we do in those moments? Paul challenges us to displace anxiety by a change in our focus. He sets out for us three activities that will help us overcome anxiety in challenging situations.
THE FIRST ACTIVITY TO OVERCOME ANXIETY IS TO ALWAYS REJOICE IN THE LORD
This immediately speaks to our relationship in Christ. Am I delighting in Him? Is He my joy? Am I living as a worshiper? Are my eyes upon Him rather than allowing life’s situations to define me? I would add, am I leaning to my own understanding rather than trusting in God? “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4)
- Worship impacts not only our lives but others.
One of the amazing conversions in Philippi was a jailer and his household. This man had either personally witnessed or oversaw the beating of Paul and Silas, then placing them in chains imprisoned them. Later he heard them praying and singing praises to God. Falling asleep, he was awakened by an earthquake and thought that all the prisoners had escaped. Fearing reprisals, he was about to commit suicide. Paul assured him not to harm himself, and asking what he ought to do to be saved, he and his family listened to the gospel message and surrendered their lives to Christ. Worship not only helps us address our own fears and anxieties but is a witness to others.
- We are commanded to give praise to God.
We are commanded to delight in Him. We are commanded to thank and adore Him. There is something healthy about praising God. Nicky Gumbel relates that the difference between praising and thanking God is that when we praise God, we are expressing our gratitude for who He is, and when we are thanking Him we are expressing our gratitude for what He has done for us. The Psalmist encourages us to praise God at all times. Here in Psalm 34, he gives us one reason why. “I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.” (Psalm 34:1, 4)
What is anxiety but a state of emotional unrest caused by real or imagined fears? God is able and will deliver us from all our fears if we will turn to Him, look to Him, trust in Him. Our focus needs to shift from our problems to Him.
Paul, in writing to the Thessalonians, shares the same truths with this congregation as he does with the Philippians. “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
Living with an attitude of gratitude directed toward God helps us overcome the painful and difficult situations we face in life. Notice how the believers in the book of Acts were filled with the Holy Spirit manifested in their joyous life. Joy is a by-product of God’s presence in our lives.
“You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” (Psalm 16:11)
What fascinates me about the book of Acts is the response that these early followers of Jesus had toward persecution and difficulties. God was alive in them, empowering them despite persecution and difficulty. We read of their joy. “The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.” (Acts 5:41)
What’s true of them is equally true for us. It is the life of Christ, the indwelling presence of the Living God, in the person of the Holy Spirit in our lives that empowers us to overcome what’s happening around us and to us. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23a)
The apostle James tells us to consider it pure joy when we experience life’s difficulties. We need to choose to embrace the attitude of being joyful despite life’s uncertainties and trials because we realize that God’s purpose for them in our lives is our spiritual development.
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.[iii]
This is how our faith in God is fashioned which causes gratitude in our hearts. We realize that these trials are a tool to develop Christ-like character in our lives. The enemy of our soul tries to use trials as a wedge between ourselves and God if we allow it, but they are designed to be tools to develop a closer union between ourselves and God. Paul explains that there is nothing that can separate us from the love of God. God’s love will always there for us.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: For you sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.[iv]
THE SECOND ACTIVITY THAT HELPS US OVERCOME ANXIETY IS SELF-RESTRAINT
We need to control ourselves. When we are surrendered to God, the result will be self-control. Rather than allowing the circumstances of life to define us, we are looking to God to help us respond to the challenges, the difficulties and the distresses of life. “Let you gentleness [KJV-moderation] be evident to all. The Lord is near.” (Philippians 4:5)
- It’s the idea of forbearance.
The Greek word (epieike) translated here as gentleness is the idea of kindness and tolerance toward others. It also has the idea of not being easily offended. The idea here is that we don’t easily get upset. We have a gracious spirit about us.
There is a lack of anxiety when we have the right attitude toward others. We stop trying to be in control, to make others do what we want them to do, even if it’s a good thing, a God thing or the right thing. Whenever we start stressing about how those we love are not doing healthy, godly things, we can make the situation worse by our frustration and anger. “It’s always easier to express ourselves than to restrain ourselves.”[v]
The wisdom literature speaks much of those who are able to control themselves and show self-restraint, which is wisdom. “Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city.” (Proverbs 16:32)
The previous verse (vs. 4), in Philippians called us to focus on the Lord, to “rejoice in the Lord always”, where we are called upon to be like our Lord. We need to learn to trust that God is in control and that God can bring about transformation in the lives of those we love or to transform the situation we find ourselves in. The text tells us here that we are to be gentle or forbearing towards others.
What does this look like? A great example of this gentle approach to an unhealthy situation is what transpired between Saul and David. Remember that David married Saul’s daughter and was the son-in-law to the King. Saul was a man that took things into his own hands. He was a man tormented, filled with anxiety. David on the other hand was a man who trusted God. Notice how David handled the injustices of Saul. He showed a magnanimity of spirit. He had a number of opportunities to kill Saul. Many people would have understood, because Saul was trying to kill David. He could have argued that that would have been self-defense. But David chose the high road.
But David said to Abishai, ‘Don’t destroy him! Who can lay a and on the LORD’S anointed and be guiltless? As surely as the LORD lives,’ he said, ‘the LORD himself will strike him; either his time will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish. But the LORD forbid that I should lay a hand on the LORD’S anointed.’[vi]
This does not mean that this idea of moderation or gentleness means indifference to evil or falsehood. It is not peace at any price. It’s not talking about compromising truth for the sake of relationships. Rather he is talking about mastering our own spirit and maintaining self-control in the situation. We need to know what’s worth contending for and what’s not. It means trying to understand where the other person is coming from yet maintaining what’s right. It is allowing God to address things rather than taking things into our own hands and exasperating the situation. It is about trusting God, rather than being in control.
Notice that the expression says that the Lord is near. There are two thoughts here.
1. That God’s presence is near, which certainly is true and He is there to help.
2. The second idea is that His coming is imminent. When Christ comes He will address the injustices of life. That’s a hope that we all have. We don’t have to take things into our own hands, but trust God to work things out for good. We are taught to overcome evil by doing good. “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21)
THE THIRD ACTIVITY TO OVERCOMING ANXIETY IS TO REQUEST GOD’S HELP WITH A PROPER ATTITUDE
We are to bring all of the things that create anxiety in our soul to God.
A. We gain a proper perspective regarding our problems by praying.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6)
We are challenged not to allow anxiety to control our lives. Rather those things that create anxiety are to be brought to God. That’s how we are to overcome anxiety. The text states that we bring every situation to God by “prayer and petition,” with thanksgiving.
Someone might say, ‘Isn’t prayer and petition’ the same thing? There is a distinct difference, and the order is critical. So, what’s the difference between praying and petitioning God, you might ask? Prayer is primarily communion with God which begins in a certain manner. “[Prayer] is the most general term, and it means worship and adoration.”[vii]
Remember how Jesus taught the disciples how to pray? He started out with the idea of reminding us of our intimacy with God. We are to call God ‘Our Father’ Then Jesus moves into the next expression where we ‘Hallow God’s name.’ That’s worship and adoration. When we come into God’s presence we need to set aside our problems initially and just enjoy God’s presence. That’s how a shift occurs within us. We then gain a proper perspective. It settles our soul. When we worship God, we begin to sense His nearness, and immediately there is a sense that all is well. God is here. He is greater than all of our problems.
But what do we normally do when we are anxious and upset and come into God’s presence? We normally blurt out our pain, our petition our desire for God to do something. The focus is on the problem, not the person we are appealing to. But Jesus is telling us the real power is not focusing in on ourselves and our problems but rather gaining a greater perspective: God. When we see God properly, we’ll begin to see our problems in their right relationship to God.
Remember Isaiah was told to comfort God’s people in chapter 40. The people had complained to God wondering if God cared for them because of their distress. “Why do you say, O Jacob, and complain, O Israel, My way is hidden from the LORD; my cause is disregarded by my God?” (Isaiah 40:27). Isaiah had responded by answering their cry, by giving them powerful word pictures of God’s power and majesty. In a graphic illustration, Isaiah portrays the nations in relationship to God. “Surely the nations are a drop in the bucket; they are regarded as dust on the scales; he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust.” (Isaiah 40:15)
What is he saying? If all the world is just a drop in the bucket or just like dust that can be dusted, we need to know that our problems are tiny compared to how great and powerful God is. Some may wonder if God is so powerful then why does he allow evil and suffering? This could easily be a number of sermons, but I’ll just quickly state two very powerful reasons that God even uses suffering and evil for a greater good. Randy Alcorn states in his book, ‘If God is Good’ writes:
1. Suffering reminds us to stop taking life for granted and to contemplate the larger picture.
2. Paul insists that our sufferings will result in our greater good—God’s people will be better off eternally because they suffered temporarily.[viii]
“Our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” (2 Corinthians 4:17)
Remember, these words are penned by Paul, who suffered much in his life. Then as we continue in the Lord’s prayer, we pray for God’s kingdom to come and His will to be done. We don’t get to our petitions until we have prayed for God’s kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. In other words, what is God’s take on the situation? What does He have to say? Are there some instructions for us from His word that will help us deal with our current situation? Will God’s kingdom be advanced? Will His will be done in this situation? Our focus should be on God’s glory, God’s kingdom and God’s will. Once we have addressed these issues, we can move with confidence to our challenges. Finally, we are instructed here to make our petitions with thanksgiving.
Then we ask for our daily bread. It’s then that we bring our petitions to God. We supplicate, we ask for God’s deliverance from evil, from temptation.
What’s significant about adding thanksgiving to our prayers. It’s a note of confidence. We start thanking God for the answer, even before we receive it. It is an expression of our confidence in the goodness of God. It is an expression of our faith in God. I believe, Lord, that you have heard and will answer my prayer.
What can we anticipate if we act upon these instructions, if we fill this prescription for addressing our anxieties? In other words what will be the results of rejoicing always, in the Lord, restraining ourselves through the power of the Holy Spirit, and bringing our requests to God after praying with thanksgiving? “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7)
God will reinforce our hearts and minds. He’ll protect us against the evil of anxiety that causes us to fret, which leads to unrestrained actions towards others, and we forget the help that comes from worship, petition and thanksgiving.
Paul then goes on to describe how we can maintain good mental health. We need to discipline our minds to think about the right things. Often anxiety is produced because we are focused on the wrong things.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.[ix]
Paul now appeals to what they had seen him do while he was with them. He had practiced what he preached. “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4: 9)
Something happens when we rejoice always, restrain ourselves and then we bring our requests to God as we pray, worshiping Him! We are transformed! Our anxieties flee! Joy fills our hearts. We become free of the tyranny of life’s circumstances. What’s happening in us is even more important than what is happening around us. Win the battle within, and you will win the battle around you!
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[i] Julie W. ‘It’s Not My Job,’ Today’s Christian, Condensed and modified, July/August 2008 as taken from www.preachingtoday.com, 2009.
[ii] Peggy Noonan, “You’d Cry Too If It Happened To You”, Forbes Magazine, September 14, 1992, as quoted by Ravi Zacharias, “If the Foundations Be Destroyed,” Preaching Today, Tape No. 142.
[iii] James 1:2-4.
[iv] Romans 8:35-39.
[v] D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, The Life and Peace: An Exposition of Philippians 3 and 4, (Grand Rapids, Mi: Baker Book House, 1990), 155.
[vi] 1 Samuel 26:9-11a.
[vii] D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, The Life and Peace: An Exposition of Philippians 3 and 4, 171.
[viii] Randy Alcorn, If God is Good, (Colorado Springs, Co., Multnomah Books, 2009), 42-43.
[ix] Philippians 4:8.
