Hope for the Anxious Heart

What we put on in the morning

What is your morning ritual?

Shower, clothes, breakfast...

Everyday we put things on.

Clothing, watch, jewelry, attitudes, beliefs, goals...

We are told in 1 Pet 5:5 to “put on humility”

The intentional, daily (even moment by moment) activity of putting on humility.

And there is an intention behind this activity as Peter goes on to instruct us.

Exaltation (to be raised to a high regard) as we cast our cares on Him.

There is a cure for an anxious heart, and it is not in pill form.

Questions to answer:

How do we fight against anxiousness in our hearts?

“Cast your anxieties on Him” - would indicate that we all have sources of anxiety that we need to “cast” on to Jesus.

Verses 6-9 are connected to verse 5b “all of you”, meaning the instructions given are directed toward the whole body, not just a few people.

We all have sources of anxiety that Peter is calling us to “give over” to the Lord.

But how do we get there?

We all know it isn’t easy.

What does humility have to do with anxiety?

There are 2 commands about humility before the imperative to “cast your anxieties”.

vs 5 “clothe yourselves with humility” - literally “put humility on like your favorite pair of sweatpants.”

vs 6 “Humble yourselves, therefore, under that mighty hand of God...”

Peter is making the case that pride is the root of our anxiousness.

PRIDE is the root of our ANXIETY

That may sound harsh but let’s examine what anxiety is before you get offended.

Anxiety is:

Fear prompted by lack of control.

Thoughts and emotions monopolized by particular cares.

Overzealous concern about the future or the stuff in our lives.

So how does pride relate to anxiety?

1) PRIDE believes I ought to be in CONTROL.

The root of our fear of being out of control is our belief that we are or should be in control.

It is also the belief (whether conscious or not) that God is not in control so then I have to be.

Anxiety is birthed out of our lack of trust and our desire to be in control.

2) PRIDE believes my CARES are the most important things in life.

The root of our monopolized thoughts and emotions is the prideful belief that the things I am concerned with are the most important thing to be concerned with.

Even legitimate cares become monopolizing cares, where they become overwhelming, and potentially even crippling, concerns as we become worry how things are going to turn out or if we will get what we think we need.

We become anxious because our cares become dominating concerns imprison us with worry.

3) PRIDE leads to EXPECTATIONS that result in IDOLATRY.

At the roots of our overzealous concern about the future or stuff in our lives are expectations of the way God ought to work or what He ought to provide for us.

These expectations we have become idols (false gods) that we worship rather than worshipping the one true God.

Our health or the health of our families.

Success and comfort.

Safety and security.

A nice house, ability to purchase things that we want

An idealized lifestyle (the American dream)

When these things are not there or we are concerned they won’t happen then we become anxious.

We must battle ANXIETY with HUMILITY

“Clothe yourself with humility…for God opposes the proud but GIVES GRACE to the humble.”

“Humble yourselves under the MIGHTY HAND OF GOD”

“Cast your anxieties on Him, BECAUSE He CARES for you.”

There are deep and powerful truths about God in each one of these imperatives.

And each one of these truths about God have the power to calm our anxieties and bring peace and hope into our hearts.

Trust in God who is...

1) A GRACIOUS GIVER

“ GIVES GRACE to the humble.”

God lavishes His grace on those who are willing and/or able to acknowledge their need for Him.

Pride is the reason we struggle to pray because we try to handle our stuff on our own.

Pride keeps God at arms-length so we do not need to give over certain aspects of our lives to Him.

God is gracious to all, to the point that we all woke up this morning with breath in our lungs, shelter over our heads, and food to eat.

You didn’t earn that breath, and, without God’s help, you wouldn’t have earned anything to have that home or to eat that food.

God is gracious in that He doesn’t justly punish us for our sin.

A humble heart is a heart that realizes just how deep sin has corrupted us and just how incredible God’s grace is in Christ that He would call be a son or daughter.

2) A POWERFUL PROVIDER

“MIGHTY HAND OF GOD”

If something is so big in our lives that we cannot see God around it then it has become bigger than God and that is a scary place to be.

Genesis 18:14 ESV

14 Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.”

God told Abraham and Sarah they would have a son in their old age.

How many years and how many tears had Sarah lost anxiously desiring a child, but she was powerless.

But is anything too hard for the Lord?!?!

Humility leads us to the one whose power is limitless and when we come to Him we can find peace...

Philippians 4:6–7 CSB

6 Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

By our prayers we are seeking to know and be known by our mighty God.

Through our petitions we are acknowledging His mighty and awesome power to do anything He wants.

And in our thanksgiving we are acknowledging everything that He has already done, as well as who He is altogether.

And that peace that surpasses all understanding, it is the appropriate outcome of one who has come to realize the liberating realities of being under an ALL MIGHTY KING.

May we rest and find joy as our hearts and minds are guarded by our mighty God.

3) A CARING KING

“BECAUSE He CARES for you.”

But He is not defined only as mighty.

Right next to His power and strength you will find His love and care for those who are His own.

But do you believe He cares for you?

Throw your cares upon the Lord because He cares specifically and uniquely for YOU.

Yes, maybe things seem to be going all wonky and it doesn’t seem like God is even in the same zip code as you, but trust in Him.

Proverbs 3:6–8 ESV

6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. 7 Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. 8 It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.

We read verses like this and think “God will make things easy in my life.” but that isn’t what Solomon or Peter is saying.

Solomon is saying that our trust in the Lord in the middle of life’s struggles will lead us through.

Acknowledge Him in ALL your ways and He will make your path straight instead of you pingponging from one thing to the other to find your way.

“It will be healing to you flesh and refreshment to your bones” - that is a caring king

Consider the context of 1 Peter—Persecution and suffering

Even in the middle of suffering, Peter is calling us to cast our burdens and our cares on the one who loves us enough to carry them.

Remember God’s faithfulness, He never makes a promise he will not keep.

He cares for you

He will make your path straight

He will exalt those who humbly come to Him.