“Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down, but an encouraging word makes it glad.” (Proverbs12:25; AMPC)
No matter where you live, there is that one thing that the media will blow way out of proportion so they can boost their ratings. Weather is a big one. I live in a region that is known to have some interesting wintery events. It can range anywhere from pretty snow flakes to a massive
blizzard with all the stuff in between (freezing rain, sleet, etc.). Anyone who has lived here for a long time knows this, and it’s really not that bad if you know how to prepare. There are places that get hit even harder than we do, and the Antarctic gets hit even harder, so it’s definitely not that bad.
If you watch the news, you’d think the world was about to end every time a snowstorm might be on the horizon. The grocery stores become a zoo, and you can tell exactly how much the media has hyped it up when the more expensive stores are just as packed as the ones that are
cheaper – and forget trying to fill up your car with gas. More often than not, it’s not even close to what they predicted. I cannot tell you how many times they have foretold of a huge storm, and we’ve gotten absolutely nothing. This is part of why I calmly check NOAA.gov and the weather app on my phone – there’s no drama attached to it. And really, when did we ever hear about
“bomb cyclones” in the past? I’d warrant that the level of anxiety we face today is due in large part to the over-dramatization of the news, because it brings “better ratings.” How evil is that?!
I don’t watch the news. I don’t even have TV. I have other sources where I get my news, because I want to stay informed but I refuse to have my emotions manipulated by reports that turn into hyperbole for the sake of ratings. Why expose myself to that? It’s a solid truth that you become what you behold, and if I am beholding fear and insanity rather than unexaggerated facts, then I will become half-crazed with anxiety and either freeze in my tracks, give up, or act brashly. How, then, can I be of any use to the Lord?
Half of the battle that we face is the battle over our mind, will, and emotions. If we let fear take ahold, rather than submitting it to the Lord, we are losing that battle.
Don’t get me wrong. I fully believe in being prepared, and we should care what’s going on around us. But there’s a feeling of panic in the air, a desperation to have more than enough, just in case it’s even worse than the weatherman says. Mind you, this doesn’t just apply to weather reports. Remember how wild it was leading up to and during 2020, when the infamous virus hit the world, and everything became political. Nothing could be said without sparking a wildfire of vicious debate – no matter how benign the topic! When looking into the political realm, things are often spun in such a way that it looks hopeless if the wrong side wins, or if a certain law passes, etc. I propose that the problem is not necessarily in which side wins an election, but where we place our trust and focus no matter who wins. What does God want for us? For you? For your family, your city, your nation, for the human race?
The media is not the sole source of anxiety. However, it’s clear that there is a generation right now that is riddled with anxiety and fear, scampering to find a working solution. Therapy, drugs, distractions – it’s all a Band-Aid. I propose that there is one solution, and only one:
“Be anxious for nothing, 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 comprehension,
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7; NASB)
The Bible makes it clear that anxiety is not a healthy state to be in, nor is it God’s intention for us. In Jesus’s own words:
“And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? If then you are not
able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest?” (Luke 12:25-26; ESV)
Jesus goes on, explaining that the lilies of the field don’t need to go shopping for the best raiment – yet they are dressed more gloriously than Solomon ever was – the richest man who lived on the earth could never compare to this level of beauty! Nor do the birds have to worry about where they’re going to get their next meal – God provides it all, and “… how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you.”
(Luke 12:28b-31; ESV)
If God cares so much for birds and flowers, how much more does He care for us, the crowningjewel of His creation?
I think this makes very clear that God does not want us in a state of anxiety or worry. Yes, we will have our challenges, but ultimately He provides for our every need when we trust in Him. But you will notice that this does not come without one condition: Prioritize Him above all else, and these things will follow. This is an offer that requires life changing action.
This isn’t a new thing that Jesus is saying in this passage. God has been telling His people to rely on Him as their main source for all of time – whether for protection from enemies, provision for everyday life, or even just the air we breathe. The natural human tendency is to look for the
help we can see and only to ask God as a last resort, whereas He reminds us that we have it backwards:
“Thus says the Lord, ‘Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind and makes flesh his strength,
and whose heart turns away from the Lord. For he will be like a bush in the desert and will not
see when prosperity comes, but will live in stony wastes in the wilderness, a land of salt without
inhabitant. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and whose trust is the Lord. For he will be
like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the
heat comes; but its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease
to yield fruit.’” (Jeremiah 17:7-8; NASB)
Elsewhere in the book of Jeremiah (and elsewhere in the Old Testament, I might add), God reminds His people through His prophets that they need to rely on Him, not on alliances, not on other gods, not on ancestor worship, not on mighty armies or resources. He is very clear on this, and considering that He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, it is utter folly to consider that He might change His mind on this. God proves Himself worthy of our reliance over and over again, both in the Bible and in our daily lives. This is why there are Psalms of remembrance, where God is given the credit and the glory for victories that would not have been possible without Him. There is the example of Miriam’s dance and song in Exodus 15, praising Him for vanquishing Pharaoh’s army in full view of the Hebrews escaping captivity. In I Samuel 30, we see David in dire straights, he and his men have lost everything to the Amalekites, and his own men – mighty men who are giant killers – want to kill him! I cannot imagine the stress that was on him, but instead of caving to the pressure and either giving up or making a quick decision, he took the time to ask God what he should do. In the end, God comes through and gives the answer he needs, David attacks and destroys the enemy with God’s blessing. This continues throughout all of the Bible and in the millennia since the beginning of time!
It may seem easier said than done, but I have found in my own life that I feel a whole lot less anxious about things when I choose to trust God, no matter what is going on – and I am still learning. In fact, His love drowns out the fear! I have had to conquer fear in my own life, and it did not happen through therapy or distracting myself with other things – though sometimes wise counsel is needed. It came from bringing that fear before God, discussing it with Him, listening to His counsel, and moving forward in the confidence that He loves me and will carry me through to the other side of my situation.
