All About GOD - Growing Relationships with Jesus and Others
Anxiety and Worry
Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. ~ John 14:27b
Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety. ~ Philippians 2:28
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. ~ 1 Peter 5:7
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Here are three statements about anxiety: by Jesus, by Paul, and by Peter, respectively. I have heard some say that all worry and all anxiety are sin, but I do not agree. Jesus says it is an option ( "let" ), but an option that is undesirable when it leads to obsession. Paul had anxiety, but he never called it sin and seemed to see it as a type of an emotional state to be "nipped in the bud" by prayer and petition (Philippians 4:6). Peter seems to think anxiety is something a Christian should so loosely own, that it all can be cast away onto Jesus, Who may retain it all or give a bit back to you, consecrated and sanctified, for your own good. Jesus Himself had some anxiety in Gethsemane's Garden, and He even said "Now My heart is troubled" (John 12:27); so it can't be sin. Calling all worry and all anxiety sin only causes false worry and fruitless anxiety that you are sinning.
Much worry and extreme anxiety will be static to your faith and trust. However, worry and anxiety have spurred many a Christian to prayer. There are also a healthy worry and an advisable anxiety that have raised red flags in keeping you from sinning, just as can a healthy fear. As with many other human emotions which are not sin, worry and anxiety, when magnified and overly entertained, can lead to states of mind and heart that detract from your optimum faith and maximum trust.
Part of the "free indeed" (John 8:36) is that Jesus gives you the freedom not to let some human emotions rule over you, to your faith's harm. Your prayer-filled faith should always so infiltrate your human emotions, as to lead to God's glory, even as it did in Christ (Matthew 26:42).
Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety. ~ Philippians 2:28
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. ~ 1 Peter 5:7
**
Here are three statements about anxiety: by Jesus, by Paul, and by Peter, respectively. I have heard some say that all worry and all anxiety are sin, but I do not agree. Jesus says it is an option ( "let" ), but an option that is undesirable when it leads to obsession. Paul had anxiety, but he never called it sin and seemed to see it as a type of an emotional state to be "nipped in the bud" by prayer and petition (Philippians 4:6). Peter seems to think anxiety is something a Christian should so loosely own, that it all can be cast away onto Jesus, Who may retain it all or give a bit back to you, consecrated and sanctified, for your own good. Jesus Himself had some anxiety in Gethsemane's Garden, and He even said "Now My heart is troubled" (John 12:27); so it can't be sin. Calling all worry and all anxiety sin only causes false worry and fruitless anxiety that you are sinning.
Much worry and extreme anxiety will be static to your faith and trust. However, worry and anxiety have spurred many a Christian to prayer. There are also a healthy worry and an advisable anxiety that have raised red flags in keeping you from sinning, just as can a healthy fear. As with many other human emotions which are not sin, worry and anxiety, when magnified and overly entertained, can lead to states of mind and heart that detract from your optimum faith and maximum trust.
Part of the "free indeed" (John 8:36) is that Jesus gives you the freedom not to let some human emotions rule over you, to your faith's harm. Your prayer-filled faith should always so infiltrate your human emotions, as to lead to God's glory, even as it did in Christ (Matthew 26:42).
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Comment by Gayla on October 8, 2009 at 9:01pm - Excellant explanation.... and I agree totally.
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