"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."
~Philippians 4:6
Can peace and comfort be found outside of God?
Everyone in this world suffers from anxiety in one way or another. For some, it may be a constant battle while for others, it may just be an occasional occurrence. But no matter what the level of experience we've each had with it, it's how we deal with it that is the most important thing.
There are so many things in this fallen and broken world that can trigger anxiety. Finances, relationships, work, school, etc. Sometimes you feel so bogged down with all the overwhelming emotions that you feel as if there will never be relief. You feel trapped in the whirlwind of thoughts and feelings that seem to have taken over your life.
In the midst of all this, you turn to thing after thing for relief. You might turn to books, TV, games, social media, etc as a desperate attempt to find peace in the pain, but you only find that all these things only serve as distractions. They may take the focus away from the problem for a short time but they don't bring peace.
When you have a moment of anxiety, what do you find yourself doing? What do you find yourself turning to for comfort and relief? We all turn to something for comfort, what is yours?These are very important questions to ask yourself because the answers can tell you a lot about what you truly value. Pause for a minute and think about this.
Psalms 12:6 tells us that the word of the Lord is worth far more than pure silver that has been purified seven times. You cannot put a price on it. Is anything you turn to in times of anxiety worth more than that? Is there anything in this entire world that is more priceless than the precious jewels of God's word?
Isaiah 26:3 says, "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you."
There is nothing as precious as the pure gold of God's word. No matter how much we hope to find comfort and peace in the things we possess, that hole inside us will never truly be filled unless we seek God. The only lasting peace that can be found is by dwelling in Him and that is something nothing else can do. Other things can distract you from your pain and silence your burden for awhile, but ultimately, the peace that you search for in times of anxiety and depression can only be found by turning to God and leaning on his word for support.
What Has Jesus Said About Anxiety?
According to the dictionary definition, anxiety is a state in which brings about excessive worry. There is a lot in this world that can act as a cause for anxiety and we find appeasing our flesh through worry to be a much easier thing to do instead of resting in God and depending on Him.
Why is that? Why would we rather be weighed down with worry instead of asking God to lighten our load? It's because of our sinful nature. Our blotted, prideful, human nature that deceives us into thinking we can handle things on our own. This is the perfect recipe for an anxious heart.
Do you know what happens when we believe that we can carve our own paths by the power of our own strength and accomplishments? Our faith grows. But it doesn't grow in the way that it is meant to. When we believe in something, we have faith in it and when we have faith in our strength, we cease to have faith in our Creator. It's as if we are telling him that we can live day by day without his help. It is this kind of mindset that definitely leads to burnout and overwhelming anxiety.
Do you want to know what Jesus has to say about this? His words in John 15:5 should be enough to tear apart any faith we have in ourselves and help us refocus it on God. "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing."
You see? Jesus gives us a reminder because he knows our tendency to gravitate toward sin. He knows our tendency to think highly of what we can do and breaks that pride with a single blow. Apart from Jesus Christ, we are a helpless, anxious, and overwhelmed people who can do nothing without his supernatural strength.
That is why we tend to get anxious and overwhelmed when we do things without Jesus. Our strength is feeble. We can only take so much before we realize that we have a limit.
There are so many things in this broken world that creates the fog of anxiety in our minds. So much so that we start worrying about things before we even lift our heads from the pillow in the morning. We get so consumed with what we don't have and things that are going wrong that we forget the reminders that Jesus gave.
Do not be anxious about food or clothing, for the Father who feeds the birds and clothes fields with grass will provide for you. Worrying douses your faith in Christ and causes doubt instead. If we are of more value than birds or grass, then surely, if God cares for those, he will care for us.
Don't be anxious about things in your life. Don't worry about things that you can't control. Read the wise words of Jesus in Matthew 6:25-34. Worrying steals your joy and time. Trusting God adds peace and comfort. Trust the Lord in your trials, seek his kingdom and all you seek will be added to you.
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