It's amazing how easily worry and stress seem to enter into our lives and how little of it we can notice creeping in until it's too late and we're completely overwhelmed. No matter how hard we try to stay away from anxiety, it finds its way in, but God promises that as we come to know Christ more and more, it will become harder and harder for anxiety to come into us.
What are the things that you worry about most? Do you often find yourself worrying about relationships, direction, money or your career? Anxiety can take many forms, but often we worry about things that are beyond our control. The human psyche is bent towards control. We love being in control of people, situations and circumstances and we dread having something out of our control.
Reality is that we will always have something that is out of our control whether it's new competition to your business, weather and climate conditions or the opinions of other people. What do we do when something is out of our control? Philippians 4:6 tells us, "do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God."
I know how easy it is to dismiss such scripture and say, "this is easier said than done." I don't think God expects us to just face our worry and say that we will no longer worry about those things anymore. But I do believe that God asks us to change our attitude first towards things that are out of our control.
In John 16:33, Jesus says, "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." Things will always be out of our control, but what do these things lead us to do? Do they lead us to worry and doubt whether God really does want the best for us, or do they lead us to trust God more and know that in Christ, we already have the victory.
When Jesus took to the cross the sin of mankind, He took with Him the very source of every consequence and curse that is set out to destroy us. He took the enemy's number one arsenal against us. He took our sin and nailed it to himself as He was nailed to the cross. John 10:10 says, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly."
And as a result, we receive Christ and receive the gift of the presence of His Holy Spirit, and Galatians 5:22-23 tells us that this presence brings fruits that abound in love, joy, peace and perseverance. In Jesus there is peace that cancels out the need to be fearful and worrisome because He is in control and He is seated on the highest throne making all things work together for our good.
