I’m exhausted and badly in need of rest. Knots sit inside and I sigh in frustration. Anxiety has come calling. Although this old nemesis no longer gets the final say, I have learned that left unchecked, anxiety can hit me at any time and rob me of far too much.

At some point in our lives, we all have some form of anxiety. Google “definition of anxiety” and you are gifted with over 500 million results.

Some make anxiety a career.

In Scripture, the word anxiety is translated into several different English words such as: thought, worry, anxiety, care, fear, and even distracted. Without a doubt, a significant challenge of anxiety is that it divides and distracts our minds so intensely that we either become frozen with fear or gripped with panic.

The Bible has many examples of good people who struggled with anxiety. It made Elijah run (1 Kings 17-19), sent Mary and Joseph back to Jerusalem (Luke 2:41-48), caused Martha to complain to Jesus (Luke 10:38-42), and propelled Peter to deny ever knowing Him (Matthew 26:69-75).

And, though the Bible categorizes anxiety as a common human condition, it makes it clear that, for a believer, anxiety should never be a controlling condition.

In my own battle against sinful anxiety the following truths have helped me. I pray they also help you.

Anxiety may or may not be rooted in a spiritual problem.

Several health factors can cause or exacerbate anxiety. If you haven’t gone to your doctor for a physical recently, do so as soon as possible. However, please note that, upon hearing the word anxiety, many doctors reach for a prescription pad as their first line of defense. While there are times when medication is needed, a believer should carefully and prayerfully seek wisdom regarding all prescriptions.

It comforts me to know that the God who created me is sympathetic to my physical weaknesses.

“For he knoweth our frame; he understandeth that we are dust” (Psalm 103:14).

Regardless of the root cause, anxiety is not an excuse to sin. However, it may be a reason to give yourself permission to be human and in need of help, both heavenly and humanly.

Trauma, lack of sleep, certain personality traits, bad habits, faulty coping mechanisms, and sin can all contribute to anxiety and cannot be fixed with medicine. Studies show that most anxiety hinges on life events that need to be worked through, patterns of behavior that need to be unlearned/relearned, and/or sin that must be faced and repented of. Therefore—

Anxiety always comes with choices.

What we do when we feel the first twinge of anxiety may not alleviate anxiety, but it will lead us either toward or away from healing. We can choose—

• to get help through pastoral-, biblical-, medical-counseling, or all three
• to surround ourselves with positive relationships and a healthy church community that will hold us up in prayer
• to change dietary habits and what we put into our minds and hearts
• to take advantage of getting outside in the sunshine, exercising, and other things that have been known to help lessen anxiety

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.” (Hebrews 12:1).

Whether or not physical factors contribute to our anxiety, the spiritual reality must be addressed.

Anxiety is always more manageable when I trust my heavenly Father.

Right now, as I write this article, I am both a bit anxious and a bit excited. I am also somewhat anxious about getting prepared for an upcoming trip to Canada. If I were to remain completely passive, it is doubtful that either this article or the trip would be successfully completed.

So then, is all anxiety sinful?

This definition of the word trust has had a profound impact in my life:

“Trust is not a passive state of mind. It is a vigorous act of the soul whereby we choose to lay hold on the promises of God and cling to them despite the adversity that at times seeks to overwhelm us.” (Jerry Bridges, Trusting God: Even When Life Hurts)

I always thought that if I trusted God, I would never have any angst or stirring in my soul. In Philippians 4:6, Paul tells us to be “careful [anxious] for nothing.” And yet, earlier, he writes that he hopes to send Timothy because he would “naturally care [be anxious]” for the church at Philippi (Philippians 2:19-20).

The root word for careful (anxiety) and care in these verses is the same. In other words, there is a helpful and an unhelpful “anxiety.” The opposite of anxiety is not peace. The opposite of anxiety is apathy, and apathy doesn’t get anything done.

There is a helpful concern that helps us plan for our future, get a job done, and take care of ourselves and others. And then—there’s the other.

“Fear,” Elisabeth Elliot once said, “arises when we imagine that everything depends on us.” The same can be said of anxiety.

Concern that humbly takes our cares to the One who is in control is wisdom. Anxiety that controls us is not concern, it is sinful anxiety.

And, while this is just me wondering aloud right now—could it be that Paul’s admonition to his
young colleague about his recurring stomach issues (1 Timothy 5:23) and the spirit of fear (2 Timothy 1:7) hint at the possibility that Timothy’s concern showed the possibility of morphing into sinful controlling anxiety?

The truth is, we can prepare and put in a good effort, but we cannot control the outcome. And here is a gentle reminder—complete trust is not just clinging desperately to God’s promises.

Trust chooses to live within and act upon God’s promises.

Rooted deeply in my struggle with anxiety was the doubt that God truly loved me. I knew what His Word told me. But I didn’t “feel” like He loved me. Choosing to live within and act on the promise of God’s love began by asking myself-

“What if, just for today, I acted like I was truly loved by God? How would that change my outlook? How would that affect each decision?”

If I really believed God loved me, I would step forward in faith and confidence, knowing that He was with me, for me, and guiding me.

“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).

An amazing thing happened when I decided to cling to and act on God’s promise of love. Gradually, with tears streaming down my face, I began to feel loved.

Could it be faith and trust in His promises, rather than my feelings, is the foundation of the peace that passes understanding? (Philippians 4:7)?

Anxiety presents a unique opportunity for us to glorify the Lord

“Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for they truth’s sake” (Psalm 115:1).

There was a time when night after night fear and anxiety robbed me of sleep. In the middle of this painful time period, I sat with my brother, who also happens to be a biblical counselor. Gently, he looked at me and said,

“Melissa, what if you have to live with anxiety for the rest of your life? What if your body is so broken that it will be something you always struggle with?”

I was appalled. How could that even be a possibility? Of course, God would heal me. But then
came the thought, “What if He didn’t? What if, like many who are physically broken, God chose to allow anxiety to be my daily companion?”

“Maybe,” he continued, “the question isn’t, ‘How can I get rid of this anxiety?’ but, ‘How can I glorify God in the middle of my anxiety?’”

Since then, that question has been life-changing for me. It has been the hardest, the best, and the most effective prayer I ever whispered.

And, in the middle of that prayer, God was answering another request because—

Anxiety is a tool God wants to use to help me become more like Jesus.

Anxiety puts sanctification in a whole new light.

“And we know that all things work together or good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son…” (Romans 8:28-29)

We know of the grace that saved our souls and showers us with blessings and favor. But the grace that asks us to stay humbly under God’s hand (1 Peter 5:6-7) is not always entirely comfortable.

As we surrender our anxiety, God promises to bring good out of it and, truly, the best good is when Jesus shines through us.

The fear that once gripped me is now a thing of the past, but I still must watch its insidious approach making me grateful that—

Anxiety will not last forever.

“From whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.” (Philippians 3:20b-21)

“Yes,” you say, “but what about now?”

Even now, it is doubtful that any anxiety will be lifelong. It may be gone when that exam is passed or when we consider what will actually matter in ten years. Anxiety will not last forever because God truly is in control.

It may end when we stop to remember that God really does love our children more than we do. Or, it may just keep moving to the next thing. Regardless, one day our anxiety will pass and we will regret the time and energy we wasted not resting in Him.

So, for now let’s—

• Humbly accept our human limitations and let go of control,
• Continue making wise choices for healing, and
• Choose to live within the promises of the One who knows and loves us best

“Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass” (Psalm 37:5).

This article first appeared in Sit Still My Daughter