Anxiety—The Greatest Concern For Our Lives

Jesus made an incredibly revolutionary statement when He said, “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”(Matthew 6:33)

Think about it.

Here in America, especially, we’ve been bred to work hard, study hard, invest well and get all your ducks in a row before taking any calculated risks. It’s that survival of the fittest mentality that places everyone’s own well-being as their top priority. “We only have one go at this life, so grab all you can, run for the door and don’t look back.”

He (Jesus) made this commandment at the end of a lecture about anxiety. We’re often so quick to volunteer for the service of God but we have all these excuses: “what shall we eat? What shall I wear?”(Matthew6:31) “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home” (Luke 9:61). What good is it to say “Lord, I will follow, but…”?

We cannot allow our anxieties to cloud our willful service to God.

Paul reminds us in Philippians 4:19 that “God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Again in Romans 8:32, “ He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?”

The kingdom of God is here and yet so often we let our anxieties get in the way and place restrictions on our commitments.

“The great concern of our lives is not the kingdom of God but how we are going to take care of ourselves to live. Jesus reversed the order by telling us to get the right relationship with God first maintaining it as the primary concern of our lives, and never to place our concern on taking care of the other things of life.” Oswald Chambers

Whether it be our fear of provision or social status, whatever it may be, let us remember that “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God”(Luke 9:62). Let not our fear of what the world may throw upon us dampen our resolve to obey or hamper our trust that God will provide everything we need.

Philippians 4:5-7: “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.”

“God, let us remember to cast all of our anxieties on you, because you care for us(1 Peter 5:7). Let us ‘not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself'(Matthew 6:34).”

If we are anxious for anything may it be that the greatest concern for our lives is that we place our relationship with God first, and everything else second.

#150

The Anxious Fruit Tree

How do we deal with anxiety as believers? 

We’re told in Philippians 4:6 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” But what happens when we can’t see what God is doing, where He’s leading?

The Bible talks a lot about anxiety and how we’re not to worry about what we can’t control. “And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest?” Luke 12:25-26

The only reason we’re anxious is because we’re trusting in ourselves. We need to even-keeled and to trust in Him and His timing knowing that He steadily has a plan. Whether God is blessing us or we’re going through trials, the only reason we see these valleys and mountains tops is because of us. But my valleys turn into my mountain tops because God is shaping my heart to accept what He is doing and see it as a mountain top as opposed to seeing it as a valley.

I put myself in the valley because I’m not trusting God. Yet in reality, because of my salvation I should always be on the mountain top.

However, when you see people who are excited for the LORD and always on the mountain top, that’s awesome, that’s not a bad thing but it’s not going to last. If you’re trying to ride this adrenaline wave of God all the time, that is destined for failure and you’re going to get depressed. What is that based on? There will be suffering but the only way you’re going to see it as less than joyous, less than a mountain top, is because your heart is not prepared or you’re not trusting in the LORD and what He’s doing.

Every time I go through a valley God is proofing me. He’s preparing me. He’s trusting me with this ridiculously burdensome thing in my life and He’s walking me through it and He’s making me better for the Kingdom, better to preach the Gospel. He’s giving me more things to praise Him for delivering me through.

Whenever I was going through a rough and stressful time of trying to find work, wondering where my niche is, getting distraught and breaking down trying to control my future, I should have been like, “I’m gonna sow and whatever God reaps, God reaps. I’m just gonna trust what He’s doing.”

Jeremiah shares his wisdom in 17:7-8:

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,
    whose trust is the Lord.
He is like a tree planted by water,
    that sends out its roots by the stream,
and does not fear when heat comes,
    for its leaves remain green,
and is not anxious in the year of drought,
    for it does not cease to bear fruit.”

Being a man or woman of God is tough, especially when we can’t see what He’s doing. If we’re wanting to stand the test of time as believers and remain faithful to Him we need to put down some roots. Roots that matter. Roots that bear fruit.

Let us not grow anxious in the year of drought but rejoice for we are planted by the only stream that gives living water. Let us not be anxious nor cease to bear fruit.

#150