OUR TROUBLED HEARTS
Susan Murray
Today’s Scripture: ““Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” Matthew 6:25, ESV
Theme: God tells us not to worry because when we live in fear and anxiety, we become less likely to trust that God is in control.
ANXIETY THEN
Agricultural cultures are dependent on each year's harvest to maintain life; otherwise, they quickly face starvation and death. No matter how hard they work, doing their required part to plow the ground, plant the seeds, and pull the weeds, they are faced with their lack of control over the needed rain, resulting in anxious hearts.
The Israelites worshiped the one true God so Jesus, knowing their hearts, did not shame them for their fear. He didn’t just say, “Don’t worry” but pointed to evidence they could see: God’s present-day care of His created physical world. On the other hand, the pagan nations around them did evil by taking matters into their own hands, sacrificing their children, hoping to manipulate their false gods to bring rain.
ANXIETY NOW
When I was in college, I remember not being able to sleep, crying in fear that I would not pass the next day’s anatomy exam. My future, which was seemingly controlled by which questions the professor asked, held uncertainty. No matter how much I had studied, the possibility of being exposed as inadequate risked not only shame but ending my hopes for a chosen career. In other words, the life I was looking for felt threatened and in danger. My anxiety could have led me to take matters into my own hands and prevent failure by cheating (evil), avoiding loss and shame. Thankfully, by God’s grace, I didn’t choose that path.
Anxiety is the fear of the future, especially fear of losing something we feel is essential for life, yet which is out of our control. I did study and yet, I could not control which questions the professor asked or whether or not I passed the test. We also can’t control the weather on the day of an outdoor wedding, the announcement by a doctor of a life-threatening diagnosis, or our kids' choices. We do our best to plan the future, but we really do not have ultimate control. Anxiety happens when our needs and desires feel threatened. The intensity of anxiety and what causes it differs for each of us, yet it is an inescapable part of the human condition.
FIGHT OR FLIGHT?
What do we do with the realization of our powerlessness over the possible threats to the “harvest” of our dreams and happiness? We can double down in our efforts to fight for control, which may have negative impacts on our relationships. Or we can deny that we have any anxiety -- especially if we were taught those emotions are wrong or shameful for a Christ follower. Shame causes us to run and hide (flight response). We can try to hide our anxiety under busyness. Yet when we do, it continues to grow in our bodies, causing stress, a higher heart rate, increased blood pressure, or even panic attacks. Unmanaged anxiety robs us of moving forward in obedience to God and serving His kingdom.
A BETTER CHOICE
Instead of fight or flight, we can choose to sit with our anxiety, name our fears, and allow our discomfort to move us to wrestle with God in prayer. As we struggle, our hearts are revealed. With new clarity, we can see what we are fearful of losing--our agenda, our idea of a good life, and self-reliance. Trusting in His promised care frees us from other masters (false god/idols) which He warned about in Matthew 6:24 and leads us to seek His kingdom first, which is His command later in Matthew 6:33. His kingdom is the true life we need.
Make It Personal: What are you worried about losing? What do you do when your desires and needs are threatened?
Consider that Jesus, though fully God, was not spared the human experience of anxiety. While in the Garden of Gethsemane, facing the coming pain of crucifixion, He wrestled with God in prayer. His anxiety was so severe it affected his body, causing sweat-like drops of blood. As Jesus’ struggled, His heart was revealed: “Not my will but yours be done” (Luke 22:42, NIV) and He moved resolutely toward the cross. He placed God’s kingdom agenda over His own life and will. What was that agenda? Our salvation. Just think about it: Jesus’ anxious prayers to bypass the cross received a resounding “no” so we could have access to God, who loves to hear our anxious prayers, giving a resounding “yes” to His promised care for us.
Pray: Abba Father, You are a loving, sovereign, all-powerful God who does as He pleases. It pleases You to care for our needs. Thank You. Help us to see You as You are and trust in Your care, thereby delivering us from evil and empowering us to seek Your kingdom which is true life. Amen.
Read: Matthew 6:24-34
Weekly Memory Verse: “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7, NIV