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◄ Being Anxious►

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Topical Encyclopedia

Definition and Context:
Anxiety, in the biblical context, refers to a state of unease, worry, or fear about future uncertainties. It is a common human experience that is addressed multiple times in Scripture. The Bible acknowledges the reality of anxiety but consistently encourages believers to trust in God as the antidote to such feelings.

Biblical References:

1.Matthew 6:25-34:
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus addresses anxiety directly. He instructs His followers not to worry about their lives, what they will eat or drink, or about their bodies and what they will wear. Jesus emphasizes the providence of God, who cares for the birds of the air and the lilies of the field, and assures that God will also care for His people. He concludes with the exhortation, "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own" (Matthew 6:34).

2.Philippians 4:6-7:
The Apostle Paul provides a practical approach to dealing with anxiety. He writes, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7). This passage highlights prayer and thanksgiving as key components in overcoming anxiety, promising divine peace as a result.

3.1 Peter 5:7:
Peter encourages believers to cast all their anxieties on God, "because He cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7). This verse underscores the personal care and concern God has for His people, inviting them to trust Him with their burdens.

4.Psalm 55:22:
The psalmist echoes a similar sentiment, urging the faithful to "Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken" (Psalm 55:22). This assurance of divine support is a recurring theme in Scripture.

Theological Insights:

·Trust in Divine Providence:
The Bible consistently points to God's sovereignty and care as the foundation for overcoming anxiety. Believers are called to trust that God is in control and that He is both willing and able to provide for their needs.

·Prayer as a Response:
Prayer is presented as a primary response to anxiety. Through prayer, believers are invited to bring their concerns to God, who listens and responds with peace that transcends human understanding.

·Community and Support:
While personal prayer is emphasized, the New Testament also highlights the role of the Christian community in supporting one another through anxious times. Encouragement, mutual prayer, and bearing one another's burdens are vital aspects of the church's life.

·Eternal Perspective:
Scripture often redirects the focus from temporal worries to eternal realities. By seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33), believers are reminded of the ultimate hope and security found in Christ.

Practical Application:

·Daily Trust:
Believers are encouraged to cultivate a daily habit of trusting God, recognizing His faithfulness in past experiences and relying on His promises for the future.

·Mind Renewal:
Engaging with Scripture and meditating on God's truth can help renew the mind and combat anxious thoughts. Passages that affirm God's character and promises are particularly helpful.

·Gratitude and Contentment:
Practicing gratitude and contentment can shift focus from what is lacking to what has been graciously provided, fostering a heart of thankfulness and reducing anxiety.

In summary, while anxiety is a natural human response to life's uncertainties, the Bible offers a pathway to peace through trust in God, prayer, and a focus on eternal truths.

Topical Bible Verses

1 Peter 5:7
Casting all your care on him; for he cares for you.
Topicalbible.org

Philippians 4:6-7
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
Topicalbible.org

Matthew 6:25-34
Therefore I say to you, Take no thought for your life, what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor yet for your body, what you shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
Topicalbible.org

Library

Anxious About Earth, or Earnest About the Kingdom
... If we 'seek after' them, we shall not be able to avoidbeing anxious and of
doubtful mind. Such seeking, says Christ, is pure heathenism....

Simple Trust in God.
... them. Are not ye of much more value than they? And which of you bybeing
anxious can add one cubit unto the measure of his life?...

The Sermon on the Mount.
... value and in his capacity for temporal and eternal service, can expect to receive
from God his sufficient food.] 27 And which of you bybeing anxious can add...

Why we Should Trust God
... "Which of you bybeing anxious can add a single foot to his height? And why beanxious
about what you wear? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow!...

Anxious Care
... after the one supreme object, and then there will be no room or leisure left for
anxious care after the lesser. Have inwrought into yourbeing, Christian man...

To Olympias. Do not beAnxious on My Behalf, nor Rack Yourself...
... Do not beanxious on my behalf, nor rack yourself with solicitude, on account of...
die, acts which tend not a little to console parents who arebeing parted from...

To the Rev. Joseph Jowett
... AND DEAR SIR,"In a few days I shall leave Madrid for Seville; andbeing anxious
to write a few lines before my departure in order that yourself and others...

On the Prophet Isaiah. I.
... Nun was fighting against the Amorites, when the sun was now inclining to its setting,
and the battle wasbeing pressed closely, Joshua,being anxious lest the...

Do Your Best --Leave the Rest.
... "Which of you can bybeing anxious add a single span to the measure of his life?"
Jesus asks in that sixth of Matthew. But much more can be said....

Explanation of "Corban. "
... And as a very powerful deterrent to any one frombeing anxious to take from the
account of the poor, and from thinking that "the piety of others is a way of...