“Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” - Matthew 11:28
Perfect peace. Is that really possible? Statistics show that the number of anxiety disorder cases in young-adult Americans has more than doubled over the past ten years. Amid our modern technology and affluence, contentment seems to be on the decline. What is going on here? Let’s take a deeper look at what anxiety is and where it comes from.
Anxiety is something that everyone experiences to some degree. It is simply part of life, and no one is completely immune to it. At normal levels, anxiety can prompt healthy action in a responsible way. But when the intensity of anxiety interferes with daily life, robbing us of happiness and contentment, we need to do something about it.
Common causes of anxiety include:
• Fear of failure
• Fear of getting hurt
• Fear of disapproval by others
• Fear of losing something that gives security
• Guilt of sin and fear of judgment
These are conditions that come upon us in normal life situations. The natural thing to do is to address the discomfort of these situations by avoidance. And avoidance works in the short term. But in the long run, it preserves our fears and increases anxiety.
Take public speaking for an example. The path to overcoming the fear of speaking is by doing it more, facing it head-on, and practicing until the discomfort is outweighed by the satisfaction of a useful form of communication.
Anxiety robs us of joy and pleasure. We worry that something bad is going to happen, and that the bad event will be worse than reality. If this worry becomes a habit, it drives us to accept false beliefs about the future, and to over-estimate how bad things will be. If we accept those false beliefs in our self-talk, they eventually become giants in our minds that take control of our emotions. The end of this path is chronic fatigue, loss of appetite, insomnia, and depression.
A common approach to dealing with anxiety is to try a philosophy known as “the power of positive thinking. ” Positive thinking is a good thing. But it falls short of loosening the grip of anxiety on our emotions and of giving the inner renewal and cleansing from sin. Trying to deal with anxiety outside of faith in Jesus Christ will leave us disappointed, stressed out, and overcome by fear. By surrendering our thoughts to His healing power, we can find lasting freedom!
• Jesus said, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ” (Matthew 11:28)
• John 14:27 says, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
• 2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
Fear cannot remain when faith comes in. It has to go! God’s desire is not for us to be weighed down with anxiety or condemnation. He offers hope and strength by showing that He loves and cares for us. Believing in Him by faith, we can drop the burden that loads us down and trust in His almighty power to deliver us from the worst situation that could possibly come upon us. Our negative thoughts are replaced with thankful acknowledgment of His abundant provision.
For those yet lost in sin, coming to the cross of Christ Jesus our Savior, confessing our sin in humble repentance, and yielding our heart to His control is the most liberating experience we can have. Relief and rest come to the soul as the chains of anxiety fall off. Jesus sets the captives free and heals bruised emotions by spiritual rebirth.
As God’s children, we have comfort that even if we lose our position, our health, our friends, and our wealth, He knows what is best for us. And as we walk in obedience to HisWord with transformed hearts, He gives rest to the heavy-laden and perfect peace while we place our trust and confidence in Him.
For your questions or spiritual needs, call 833-818-7884.
