“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made know to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippines 4:6-7)

Paulo Coehlo wrote, “Anxiety was born the very same moment as mankind and since we will never be able to master it, we will have to learn to live with it. Just as we have learned to live with storms.”

There are some things in this quote that I agree with and some things I don’t agree that anxiety has been around for a very long time; ever since the fall. The sound of God’s footsteps in the garden as both Adam and Eve hid knowing they had sinned must have stirred within them the felling of anxiety. But Coehlo saying, “We will never master it”, I can’t say I agree with. We may suffer from it all of our lives, but can we overcome it one storm at a time? Yes! Because God is greater than the storms of life. God is greater than our anxiety and stress.

There’s no double about it. Anxiety is a major problem today. It invades every aspect of life and can leave you feeling stuck or paralyzed, overwhelmed and unable to move forward.

“A recent study has shown that anxiety issues are the number one mental health problem for women and are second only to alcohol and drug abuse among men. Stress related ailments cost the nation more than 300 billion dollars in medical expenses and lost productivity,” so if you’re experiencing anxiety, know you are not alone (Max Lucado, Anxious for Nothing). Every one wrestles with stress and anxiety. Some struggle with it more than others.

You might worry about your future, your health of a loved one or your financial situation. Our kids may worry about failing a class, making new friends, or being picked on and me… as your pastor… I am tempted to worry about whether or not we can put things into motion as a church, what roadblock will come up, how to really reach our neighbors. On top of that, I worry about everything you’re going through, and everything my family goes through. So there’s no stress in life, right (I say that sarcastically)? None of us worry…right? No one get anxious?

So, know that I understand it may be hard to hear Paul when he says, “Do not be anxious about anything.” Our immediate response might be …”are you serious”? But think about what was going on in Paul’s life when he wrote this. He was chained to a Roman guard. He was about to stand trial. He could have been executed at any moment. Paul had every reason to be anxious, but he wasn’t! Why? There had to be a recipe to handling his stress. Paul had to have found something or someone who could put his anxiety to rest.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God.” Part of the recipe that Paul gives us is to pray about everything. Tell God what you are going through. Tell Him that you feel anxious, or stuck; that it’s overwhelming. Tell Him you don’t know how to get past it on your own. Just tell Him! That’s part of the recipe to overcome our fears.

But I also think Paul gently reminds us not to be afraid. Don’t let fear rule you. Don’t let it be the motivating factor for your decisions. Instead, give it to God and courageously press in on your anxieties.

So, if someone you love just recently went through a sudden health change, don’t just talk to a friend about it. Allow Him to help you see what is really behind your anxiety. In the case of a health concern, it maybe the fear of losing someone and you may not realize that you have been shoving that emotion down while God has been encouraging you to bring it to Him. Don’t be afraid to tell God how you feel. He cares for you! Cast your anxieties on Him. Peter write in 1 Peter 5:7. “Casting all your care upon him; for he cares for you.” I’m not saying you won’t experience stress and anxiety, but if we surrender those things to God, one moment at a time, one day at a time, He will lead us through them. He will give us rest. Now, I’m not saying there won’t be bumps along the way. You need to know that it will take work! But again, God is greater than those things in our life that cause us to be anxious.

Remember, prayer is confessing our need of God. It is us recognizing that He is greater than everything else in our life; that He is in control; that He holds the future in His hands and that nothing happens without His knowledge. We’re talking about our heavenly Father, who loves us as his child. He hears our prayers. He walks with us. Nothing catches Him off guard. Just as a good father wants his son to come to him with whatever is bothering him, God wants us to do the same. He loves you and nothing will ever change that. Nothing can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:38-39).

So, here’s the thing! We will struggle with stress and anxiety, but being able to talk about it with someone who care, with your heavenly Father, is huge. Things may not always go the way we hope for, but it doesn’t mean God isn’t right there with us.

Paul is able to tell us to be anxious for nothing because he is living it. He’s there in prison allowing the truth of God’s Word to renew his mind, to strengthen him and to calm his fears. He’s allowing God through prayer to bring peace.

I don’t pretend to know what you are struggling with or what you’re anxious about, but don’t hide, don’t run, don’t feel embarrassed or ashamed. Don’t withdraw from others or think you’re unusually abnormal or broken in some abstract way. The truth is we’re all broken and only God can make us whole. So, what are you struggling with today? Have you tried talking to God? Are you willing to see that this may be how God is calling you to draw ever closer to Him? My heart is to see people experience that healing power of God; to experience His touch, His presence, His love! Is that what you’re longing for? If so, He’s waiting to hear from you!