According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), over 40 million adults in the U.S. (ages 18 years or older) suffer from some form of anxiety disorder. Whether general anxiety, panic, social anxiety, specific phobias, obsessive compulsion, post-traumatic stress or depression, the fact remains that over 18% of the American population have fallen victim to varying degrees of mental illnesses or disorders that coexist with anxiety (bipolar disorder, eating disorders, headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, attention deficit/hyperactive disorder, substance abuse, sleep disorders, chronic pain, fibromyalgia, etc.) It is an overwhelming reality. Even more alarming is researchers estimate that realistically, 30% (not 18%) of people struggle with anxiety, because millions of Americans fail to either recognize their problem or seek professional help to combat the anxiety they are facing. Therefore, we can be confident that 1 out of every 3-5 people we encounter on a daily basis struggles with what the ADAA identifies as "mental illness." The sad truth is many believe there is no hope for gaining victory over anxiety outside of medicating the problem. Seeking Biblical truth and understanding around the issue of anxiety seems like a mockery of clinical science and the medical community at large, but nothing could be further from the truth. The Bible does not dismiss the need for medical expertise when neurological deficiencies warrant professional, medical treatment, but the over-arching healing our souls crave far exceeds what man can solve via modern medicine. For while science can seek to solve temporary quality of life issues, only Jesus Christ offers eternal healing which is far more valuable and surpasses human understanding.
Keep in mind, the ultimate reward for a born-again Christian is freedom from pain altogether when we pass from this world into the afterlife. For the Bible promises, "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away" (Revelation 21:4). Death is not an end in itself, but the beginning for those who place their hope and trust in the saving work of Christ. However, for those who reject the authority of God's Word and the atoning sacrifice Jesus paid for the sins of mankind, the ultimate reward of salvation is forfeited for an eternity of torment and anguish. Pain is magnified apart from Christ, so choosing to depart this world overwhelmed by pride and hardheartedness toward God will only leave a man empty, alone and without hope. Knowing this, we can consider the words of Matthew 6:25-34 with eternal perspective grounded in truth rather than speculation or assumption. Jesus taught His disciples, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:31-32). Therefore, if we place our hope in the words of Scripture, we relinquish doubt, worry and anxiety because we trust what the Bible says is true without reservation. Our fears can only enslave us to the extent we allow. So if we are worried about our eternal resting place, we can choose either to adopt secular theology which contradicts Scripture, or trust in the saving grace of Jesus Christ found only in the pages of Scripture.
At a granular level, Jesus outlines various forms of anxiety associated with survival necessities in Matthew 6:25-34. Notice that the primary focus of His teaching centers around needs, not wants. Food, water, shelter and clothing are all essential for survival because they meet basic safety and dietary needs. In no way can a man choose to abstain from any of these and expect to live any prolonged period of time. Reason being, how we were created by God mandates we are dependent on food, water, shelter and clothing for survival. Therefore, when Jesus reminds us not to worry about these things, He is highlighting the fact that God took into account what we would need before He created us, and made provision within creation itself to meet our basic needs. Therefore, what Jesus presents in this teaching is not so much a laundry list of things we shouldn't be stressed or anxious about, but an examination of our theology at a much deeper level. In essence, Jesus is asking us, "Do you trust me?" with varying emphases postured to gauge our spiritual temperature at the heart level:
- Do you trust ME? (Is Christ the ultimate source of my trust in all things?)
- Do you TRUST me? (How confidently do I believe His Word?)
- Do YOU trust me? (Do I recognize my need to trust in His sovereignty?)
- DO you trust me? (When all is said and done, Yes or No?)
It is no more difficult for us to wrestle with trust than it was for the nation Israel when God led them through the wilderness for 40 years prior to entering the promised land. "And you shall remember the whole way that the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. Your clothing did not wear out on you and your foot did not swell these forty years. Know then in your heart that, as a man disciplines his son, the LORD your God disciplines you. So you shall keep the commandments of the LORD your God by walking in his ways and by fearing him" (Deuteronomy 8:2-6). Undoubtedly, there was an incredible amount of anxiety associated with wandering aimlessly in the desert for forty years. Food and water were scarce and hunger and thirst unquenchable, but the Lord provided time and time again through countless miracles to ensure His people would not die of starvation or dehydration. How then should we respond knowing we are descendants of Adam, plagued by sin and vulnerable to anxiety just as the nation Israel was? Are we prone to repeat the same mistakes Israel made by grumbling 40 years through the wilderness, or do we trust in God's provision because His Word is true from the beginning of time?
We must examine our hearts and weed out the peripheral issues that plague our minds and give birth to anxiety. In other words, control what is within our sphere of influence and trust the rest to God. Let's be honest. What typically causes us the greatest amount of anxiety in our lives is not being in full control. We feel safer and more at ease when we can control the environment or people around us, yet rarely do we experience the peace and tranquility we seek even when we have complete power and authority. Perhaps it seems trivial to simply "let go and let God," but there is Biblical truth to stepping back and assuming our place in the hierarchy of life. Far too often, we step into God's sovereign role when we feel He is distant or not working in the time or manner we feel He should. Anxiety overwhelms us and we "take the bull by the horns" and strong-arm our will rather than trusting that God will act in His way and in His time for His glory. We would be wise to apply the words of King David who declared, "I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope" (Psalm 130:5). However, simply waiting for the Lord is meaningless if we are consumed by our happiness, our desires, and our glory at the expense of God's grace. For Christ did not shed His blood on the cross and die a sinner's death on our behalf so we could live self-consumed, idolatrous lives. Jesus died to break the stronghold sin had over us, so that we could live free from the bondage of fear, doubt, worry, stress, anxiety, depression, etc., which bind us.
Bottom-line, there is plenty in life to be stressed about. Moreover, we may never find complete peace this side of heaven or attain the goals we set forth in our lives, but we cannot be content to throw in the towel and allow the enemy free reign in our minds to plant seeds of anxiety which incapacitate us. Life circumstances have a way of thrusting us into uncomfortable situations and consequences of sin we never dreamed we'd encounter, but that does not require us to default into a state of mental disorder as a means of escape or justification of sin thereof. Professional intervention aside, the majority of anxiety problems we face can be remedied by applying the wisdom Jesus professes in Matthew 6:25-34, rather than self-medicating to numb the pain and/or avoid whatever the issue at hand may be. Jesus said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed" (John 8:34-36). The ability to "choose" is arguably the most compelling freedom God ever gave man. For with it, man can charter his own course through life for his own personal glory and fulfillment, or he can choose to submit to God's will in place of his own. But in the end, each man must give an account to God almighty, and the choices he has made throughout his life will either testify to the saving work of Jesus Christ in his heart or condemn him for eternity. Therefore, "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 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 4:4-7).
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