Do Not Be Anxious About Anything ... Really (11/26/08)

Warren Sentinel "Weekly Pulpit" Article -- Published November 26, 2008

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

How in the world can we not be anxious when there seems to be so much bad news every day? In fact, it seems like most days there's almost nothing but bad news.

Wall Street is tumbling and Main Street isn't far behind. U.S. automakers are on the brink of bankruptcy. Banks aren't lending, housing prices are plummeting, and there seems to be no end of foreclosures. Companies, big and small, are laying off more and more employees every day and the unemployment rate is rising. Sure, gasoline prices are half what they were just a few months ago, but other energy prices are barely budging and an increasing number of people are having difficulties heating their homes as winter quickly sets in.

I find myself avoiding newspapers, television, and even the radio. I've successfully put off opening my most recent retirement account statement for another few weeks knowing I wouldn't like what I'd see. In the midst of the mess that we find ourselves in, it is hard – seemingly impossible – not to be anxious.

We all know that "worrying gets you nowhere," but wouldn't you agree that it seems to be getting ever harder to NOT worry? The problem with worry and anxiety isn't just that they're unproductive, but that they can take a serious toll on you, body, mind, soul, and spirit.

Paul's words in Philippians remind us that we have a powerful alternative to worry and anxiety. In the midst of all the uncertainty that surrounds us, we can choose to pray and to cling to the hope and certainty that we have in God in and through Christ Jesus.

He doesn't promise that the economy will recover any time soon, or that stock prices will surge, or that our personal and national economic woes will be quickly resolved. Instead, Paul promises that if we bring our fears and concerns to God in prayer, that the peace of God will guard our hearts and minds. Paul is not advocating defeatism or inaction. Instead, he is calling on us to recognize our outright dependence on God, the sole Giver and Sustainer of life.

That being said, even as we bring our fears and needs before God, we must also recognize our dependence on one another. In the coming months, and possibly years, there will be no lack of opportunities for us to help one another. I strongly encourage you, dear reader, to pray for and to contribute in whatever way you can to the Salvation Army, C-CAP, St. Luke Community Clinic, Warren County Council on Domestic Violence, House of Hope, area food pantries, churches, and other organizations in our area that are on the front line of meeting the growing needs of our community.