How to deal with Anxiety as a Christian
Is everything going to be okay?
I stumbled across that question in an internet forum. A young man shared that by all accounts, he should be very happy and not worried. He said that he had a pretty good job, a loving family, and a good social life. He talked about how he was doing everything he was supposed to do: reading, working out, meditating, and going to therapy. And yet, he still didn't feel okay. In his words, "life just feels like a lot." And he didn't know how to handle it.
Most of the responses were generally positive, but none of the responses really got to the root of the problem. That's what I want to do today.
The reality is that 40 million Americans report feeling anxiety at various levels. If you're here today and you have experienced anxiety or are currently experiencing anxiety, I know that it can feel hard to deal with, and it can make everything feel overwhelming and hopeless. But we don't have to stay stuck in anxiety… There's a path from anxiety to peace, and Jesus paved it.
Understanding What Anxiety Really Is
Anxiety is often fueled by fear, worry, feelings of inadequacy, and ultimately a struggle to trust God to provide for us. And underneath it all, it's that same question: Is everything going to be okay?
The apostle Paul in Philippians 4:6-7 speaks directly to this: "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."
When we first read this, it can feel like Paul is telling us, "just stop worrying." But Paul isn't just saying to flip a switch. The Greek word Paul uses here for worry is merimnaō. It comes from a root word that means to divide. Anxiety literally describes a divided mind, a mind pulled in a dozen directions by worry.
Culture will prescribe some things to help counteract your anxiety - things like breathwork, grounding techniques, practices of affirmation, therapy, and psychotropic medicine. And some of these things may help you feel better in the moment. But ultimately, you're managing symptoms, and you're not actually healing your mind. But we don't have to stay stuck managing.
Jesus Shows Us the Way Through Gethsemane
When we think of Jesus, we think of this stoic and strong man who was both passionate and gentle. But then comes one night, a night where everything is different.
The book of Matthew says in Matthew 26:36-38, "Then Jesus went with them to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and he said, 'Sit here while I go over there to pray.' He took Peter and Zebedee's two sons, James and John, and he became anguished and distressed. He told them, 'My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.'"
The Greek word describing Jesus' distress is the strongest of the three Greek words in the New Testament for depression. It's described as almost horror. This is uncharacteristic of Jesus, so why this sudden sorrow and anguish? Jesus knew what was coming - that on the cross He would bear the full weight of humanity's sin and experience the separation from the Father that sin creates.
Step 1: Talk to God
"He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, 'My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine'" (Matthew 26:39).
Prayer is such an important tool we have to connect with God and find peace, but we often don't view it the right way. Prayer lays your burdens and anxieties before God and then says, I know you are greater than this. And even though I don't understand why this is happening this way, I pray that Your will be done.
There is freedom in letting go of control. Trying to hold on to control is exhausting, unsustainable, and ultimately pointless. Because the truth is, we were never actually in control to begin with.
Prayer relinquishes control, realigns your priorities, and gives you peace.
Step 2: Talk to Your Friends
Jesus kept His friends close by. He told Peter, James, and John to come and sit with Him while going through His stress and suffering. Jesus talked to His friends.
Oftentimes, we try to be strong on our own. We don't like to ask for help. But consider that God created relationships and friendships purposefully. James 5:16 reminds us, "Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results."
So asking for help and prayer doesn't make you weak! There is strength in being vulnerable.
Step 3: Talk Back to Your Feelings
Matthew 26:42-44 tells us that Jesus went back to pray a second and third time, saying the same things again. After praying, Jesus didn't feel all better immediately. And you know what else He didn't do? He didn't give up. What did he do? He went back and prayed some more. He's denying the feelings of stress, anxiety, and despair the right to be louder than His desire to do the will of God. Jesus talks back to His feelings.
Your problems can be both real and smaller than God at the same time. What you're going through and feeling is hard. But it is not greater than God. And so we continue to repeat "Your will be done."
Putting It Into Practice
When dealing with anxiety, Jesus teaches us to:
Talk to God - Bring your burdens to Him in prayer
Talk to your friends - Don't isolate; seek support and prayer
Talk back to your feelings - Don't give anxiety a megaphone
And what's the promise when we do these things? "Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:7).
So, is everything going to be okay? Yes! Through Jesus, we know that everything is going to be ultimately, gloriously, wonderfully, and eternally okay.
As Charles Spurgeon said, "Worry doesn't empty tomorrow of its sorrows, it only empties today of its strengths." But Jesus offers us a better way - a path from anxiety to perfect peace.