Anxiety

Anxiety

In Ecclesiasticus 29:25 Sirach says, “Anxiety causes you to grow old before the time.” Anxiety is a terrible power that breaks a person down in spirit, soul, and body. Spiritually speaking, one is, as it were, in a fog, so one does not see the way in to God’s glory in the rest of faith, joy, and peace. Anxiety is a spirit power that does not belong in God’s kingdom. “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Tim. 1:7.

The Spirit of faith lifts us above all the cloud layers of unbelief—up to the light and purity of the sun—where we can let our sun rise on the evil and on the good. Matt. 5:45.

Jesus viewed this sneaky enemy very seriously—this enemy that wants to oppress us and set a snare for us so that we cannot be with Him in the rapture when He comes.

“But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” Luke 21:34-36.

Strife about an inheritance can be such a snare in which a person can get caught. He does not see the great and incorruptible inheritance which is reserved in heaven for us. Eph. 1:18. “Then one from the crowd said to Him, ‘Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.’ But He said to him, ‘Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?’ And He said to them, ‘Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.’” Luke 12:13-15.

He who is on the housetop should not go down to get anything out of his house when Jesus comes. Matt. 24:17. Then it will be good to be freed from all anxieties about temporal things. Jesus will fetch those who are waiting and ready for Him at all times. We must not look back anxiously as Lot’s wife did.

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus speaks very strongly about anxiety. Matt. 6:25-34. “Do not worry about your life . . . . Look at the birds of the air . . . . Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to your stature? So why do you worry about clothing? For all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

The source of anxiety is not God, but rather doubt and unbelief, which cause unrest. Faith says, “This is the day which the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” Ps. 118:24.

Everything we say and do in anxiety and unrest amounts to wasting our precious time of life. Everything we do and say in the Spirit of faith is the source of exceeding riches for time and eternity.

True care wells up from the source of life in God. In this care and in this responsibility we can make plans for the future, in peace and rest, according to God’s pleasure.

In Luke 14:28-30 Jesus says, “For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it—lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’” We are called to do righteousness and not let the good we do be mocked. If we want to build a house, we must see to it that the drawings and everything else are ready and approved by the authorities and that the finances are in order. Then we can start building without anxiety, and everything will be to God’s glory.

Jesus says that sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Many people are troubled daily, even year after year, by sickness and other things. But everything only gets worse through anxiety and restless thoughts. “The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, but who can bear a broken spirit?” Prov. 18:14. “A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones.” Prov. 17:22.

Paul also fought hard against anxiety. He writes in Philippians 4:6-7, “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.”