Personality or Problem?

Have you ever heard someone say, “I’m a worrier. I’ve always been that way.” Anxiety and fear are often described as a personality traits. Something we “deal with”. In all honesty, I find myself anxious quite often. Anxious about the future…that great unknown people are always so curious to know about. Oh, the future. That vastness that stretches before you with seemingly endless possibilities. The choices you’re faced with that you see as determining the outcome of, well, everything. “What are your plans after graduation?” “Are you married?” “Why don’t you have a boyfriend? Somebody needs to scarf you up!””  What do you want to do with the REST OF YOUR LIFE?” People can ask rather intimidating questions.  Do you have a definite plan for the future, or are you filled with the mystery of, “I don’t know”?!? When faced with questions like these, it can be so tempting to give into fear, anxiety and worry. That panic of, “What do I do with my life?!?” Then there are the daily matters that tempt us to feel a loss of control. Matters at work, home and school that are out of our control can lure us into a place of fear. Do we measure up in the eyes of our friends, coworkers and parents? Do we measure up to God’s standards? If you don’t measure up, how do you deal with that? Worry can be a debilitating thing. It can paralyze us into doing nothing or it can cause us to be foolish in our decisions. However, we as believers have not been called to live a life of fear, but a life of freedom. There is so much that could be said about this subject, but I want to focus on how the sin of anxiety causes us to have a distorted view of others, ourselves and of God.

When I choose to worry, I distort my view of others. Immediately my worries encroach me and I can’t see anything else. I can’t see that my friend is hurting and needs encouragement. I can’t share in the joys in the lives of others. I’m so blinded by the cloud of my fear that nothing else seems important. If we are anxious by our own needs, how can we see the needs of others? Philippians 2:1-9 speaks to this:

”So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men and being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name.”

Being worried about your own needs and concerns over the interests of others causes disunity. How can we be “of the same mind, having the same love” if we are not counting “others more significant than ourselves”? We can’t! I don’t want to be useless in the body of Christ or useless in His Kingdom work by being so entangled in my own worries! How did Christ set an example here? He “emptied himself”, He put aside his own needs and took the role of a servant. He was obedient unto death. He submitted himself to the mighty will of his Father. Lord, help us to empty ourselves. I always find when I’m struggling in this way, if I reach out to others and make myself about their concerns and their lives, the weight of what I’m struggling with lessens. Obedience in “casting our cares” to God and emptying ourselves truly does bring peace.

When I become anxious about the future, I’m attempting to put myself in control of my life. To be worried is basically saying, “I’m in charge, and if I don’t make the right decision, everything is ruined.” We want to create our worlds the way we see fit. We put ourselves in the role of little gods, thinking our decisions determine what will happen. To an extent this is true. Our actions do have consequences. Those who live faithful lives and consider God in all their choices are blessed. Those who ignore God in their lives are ultimately cursed. The Psalms are full of verses that express this message. In fact, the whole book of Psalms starts out with this very message, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly…whatever he does shall prosper.” In Psalm 34 we hear about the demise of the wicked, “The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.” When it comes to the decision of who we will serve, it most certainly effects our lives. In fact, in every way! The giving and withholding of blessings is determined by our decision in who we live our lives for. I have to be careful that I don’t see the other details of life (where I go to school, whom I marry, what I do with my life, etc) as in my hands. If you’ve committed your life to the Lord, plan away! Make decisions! Have goals! But know that they can be changed. We all know Proverbs 16:9, “The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.” I must be content not to be a god, but to be an instrument in God’s hand.

Ultimately, being anxious effects our view of God. This is the core of our problem with the sin of worry. To worry basically says to God, “I know I say that I trust you with my mouth, but it’s really not true. I don’t think you will provide my every need. I don’t think you will do what is best for me.” This breaks my heart. The moment I become anxious I deny that my caring, compassionate, loving, sovereign Lord cares for me and directs my path. Elyse Fitzpatrick in her book, “Overcoming Fear, Worry and Anxiety” speaks of the importance of having a correct view of God, and specifically a right understanding of His sovereignty. She says, “God’s sovereignty is the only safe harbor when we’re assailed by the winds of fear, doubt and worry.” She quotes Jerry Bridges in the same book, “ He does whatever pleases Him and determines whether we can do what we have planned….No creature, person or empire can either thwart His will or act outside the bounds of His will.” If we truly believe this, every anxiety will vanish in the secure knowledge that God is in control. No matter the choices we make, He will make his purposes comes to pass. Whether we choose cosmetology or biomedical engineering, getting married or staying single, living in Georgia or in Uruguay, He is in sovereign. What peace that brings. I don’t mean to discredit getting wise counsel about life or weighing out options, but as long as we are being faithful to Christ and His word, whatever choice we make will be within His will. And nothing will thwart his plan. “For the Lord Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?” Isaiah 14:26-27

If we are faithfully abiding in Christ, this is our greatest defense against worry and anxiety. A verse that often comforts my heart is Psalm 34:10, “Those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.” We must continually cast our fears and anxiety onto the Lord and trust in His true and very precious promises. By focusing on Him and his word, we will begin to understand His love towards us. “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him… There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.” (1John4)

 Pressing On,

            Anna Leigh