Dealing With Anxiety (1 Peter 5:6-8)

Introduction:

Everyone is familiar with anxiety and it’s epidemic proportions:

Many people in the world struggle with anxiety (roughly 40 Million).

It is evidently true that Christians are not immune to such.

Yet as prevalent as it is, anxiety and worry are extremely counterproductive:

Worry is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do, but it won’t get you anywhere.

Worry is a fast getaway on a wooden horse.

Body:

Understanding The Problem.

What is anxiety?

A feeling of despair brought on by the necessity to make ethical or moral decisions.

A strong desire sometimes mixed with doubt, fear, and uneasiness.

It is a mental agitation that may be mild or severe.

What causes anxiety?

Anxiety is caused by real or imagined threats:

We feel vulnerable and inadequate to protect ourselves against these threats.

Social rejection, physical injury or disease, poverty, death, etc.

Anxiety has three main elements:

Insecurity.

Helplessness.

Isolation.

these elements may operate individually or in various combinations.

Emotionally, they cause just as much anxiety regardless if they are imagined or real.

Have you ever been in a stressful situation?

How did you handle it?

Did you remain calm, cool, and collective?

Did you buckle under pressure?

Overcoming The Problem.

Trust in God!

The best solutions to problems is by dealing with the causes, not just the symptoms.

The truth about insecurity, helplessness, and isolation:

The Christian is very secure (Prov. 3:21-26; Heb. 4:16).

The Christian has great help (Rom. 8:31; Ps. 27:5; Heb. 13:5-6).

The Christian is always with God (Ps. 23:4; Matt. 28:20; illustration of father and son on beach ).

The remedy for anxiety is complete trust and confidence in God! (Isa. 40:31; Jn. 14:1; Php. 4:13; Deut. 31:7-8).

Take practical steps.

Read the Bible.

By trusting in God, we must continue to grow in Him.

Therefore, it is important to study, pray, and meditate on God’s promises to the faithful (Rom. 15.4—why these things were written).

Be realistic.

Peace of mind does not depend on solving all the problems (Ecc. 8:16-17).

Some things will not change and we to learn to accept that.

The realistic knowledge of our limitations should cause us to relax and slow down.

We must learn to let go and allow the Lord to be in charge of them (1 Pet. 5:7; Pr. 3:5-6).

Be flexible.

Change is inevitable thus we must become adaptable (Phil 4:11-12).

If we cannot bend under stress, we will surely break.

While there are some changes that we should always resist, the Bible tells us when to change or hold our ground (salvation matters).

Focus on the good.

The Bible clearly divides the types of cares:

Good (1 Cor. 12:25; 2 Cor. 11:28; Php 2:20).

Bad (Mat 13:22; Php 4:6; 1 Pet 5:7).

We tend to become distracted by many unimportant cares (Mat 13:22).

Only one thing is necessary (Lk 10:41-42; Mat 6:33-34).

When we focus on unimportant cares, we become distracted of the good.

Learn to live one day at a time.

Winston Churchill said on his death bed, “I had a lot of trouble in my life, most of which never happened.”

W. H. Auden likewise said, “In headaches and in worry vaguely life leaks away, and time will have his fancy tomorrow or today.”

Learn contentment.

Such is a lesson Paul learned (Phil. 4:11-13).

Count our blessings (Phil. 4:4,6).

When a problem produces anxiety, the very best thing we can do is be reverent and grateful.

Conclusion:

The Christian is given the means to deal with anxiety:

Peace that comes through prayer (Php. 4:6-7).

Reassurance from trusting God (Ps 23:1-6).

Whenever the feelings of insecurity, helplessness, and isolation occur:

Trust in the Lord.

Read the Bible, be realistic, be flexible, focus on the good, learn to live day by day, and learn contentment.

Invitation.