Dealing With Anxiety, Part 1
In this series of articles and short videos, I will be discussing the issue of human anxiety and the various aspects of ridding yourself of undue stress. I think we all experience it even if the outward expression varies from person-to-person.
I also believe anxiety exists in both healthy and unhealthy forms. The most common biblical word for anxiety seems to be “care” or cares. This should not seem odd to us because we all know people who seem to care far too little and others who care to the point of obsessive and destructive behavior.
In a broad sweeping statement…
Destructive anxiety is essentially overcome through loving God. The Bible describes loving God as obeying his commands.
We can learn two things from this Scripture; one is more obvious than the other.
1. Typically, when you follow the rules, things go better. In other words, you find yourself in less trouble and less to worry about.
2. It’s not really about the rules; it’s about love. Keeping love for God alive in your heart is what will reduce destructive anxiety in your life.
The central answer to human anxiety is to love God. Loving God is about knowing him, following him, becoming more like him, and reproducing your love for him in others.
Knowing God is about being with him, consciously welcoming him in your daily life and learning his way – the pure ways of life, not the corrupted, destructive, and dying ways of the world. The next verse says: “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world.”
The world is in strife and conflict; God is not. He is peace and strength and security.
Loving God starts with knowing, loving, and following his ways. As a result, destructive anxiety decreases. While we learn to love and trust the Lord, we learn more about defeating anxiety.
We will continue to learn more about conquering anxiety in the coming days.
