“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”
Philippians 4:6
Anxiety has become an epidemic in our world today. More people experience high levels of anxiety than ever before. Some of it is normal, a natural response to stress and insecurity. Much of it, though, has gone beyond what is normal and natural and has become an illness. There are more diagnosed anxiety disorders now than ever.
What is the solution?
Well, I can’t speak to the medical side of anxiety disorders, but I can offer an insight to the normal anxieties of everyday life, which hopefully if managed well would prevent future anxiety disorders.
Anxiety comes from fear of the unknown. We feel anxious when we don’t know what will happen, especially if there’s a chance that what will happen won’t be good. The solution, then, can only be to remove the doubt. Since we can’t know the future, there’s really only one way to do this – faith. For those that don’t know God through Christ, this won’t make much sense. But for Christians, it should be a natural result of faith.
If we believe that our God is good, that through Christ our salvation is assured, and that God will work all things for the good of those who love him, then there is no room for anxiety. Where there is real trust in the goodness of God and the good will that he has for us, there is no anxiety or worry for the future. Even in the face of hard and tragic times, we can know that God is working and will ultimately use it for our good.
The antidote for anxiety is faith. This faith can be expressed through prayer, specifically prayers of supplication and thanksgiving. That is, tell God your worries and fears, ask for his help and provision, and have faith that he will make good on his promises. Be thankful for the provision that God has promised us and has delivered thus far, and always trust that what lies ahead will be able to work for good through God.
Prayer:
Father,
Help us to increase our faith and to combat our anxiety. Help us to trust you, and to bring our worries and troubles to you
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.
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