20 Dec January 13th Daily Devotion

A SERIES OF DEVOTIONS BASED ON PAUL’S LETTER TO THE  CHURCH AT PHILIPPI

ANXIETY AND WORRY – Part I

Philippians 4:6a “Do not be anxious about anything . . . “

In the United States, in a given year mental health specialists report over 19% of the population is afflicted with an anxiety disorder.  Broken down, 23% of all females and 14% of males are included in this statistic.  According to a recent Gallup poll, daily stress and worry plague a majority of American adults.  Gallup reports that sixty percent of Americans in the poll responded that they experience episodes of significant worry.

Worries over the economy and the availability and affordability of health care top the list of Americans’ worries, each causing “a great deal” of concern for more than 50 percent of Americans.  The number one worry of older adults, according to polling, is that their money will run out before they die.  For teenagers, their number one worry is grades and admission into the college of their choice.

Anxiety disorders include excessive and persistent worry about life in general; fear of social situations and being negatively judged; panic attacks; irrational and excessive fear of objects and situations; and, fear of places and situations where there is a feeling of being trapped with no ability to escape.

Jesus addressed the subject of worry and anxiety in His Sermon on the Mount.  Matthew recorded what Jesus taught:  “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:25-34)

Worry and anxiety occur because of the sinful Old Adam with which all of us are afflicted.  Our sinful nature, encouraged by Satan and the world, focuses our attention on this world and the things of this world instead of on the unmerited and unfathomable love of our Heavenly Father.  His love is without limit.  His generosity is beyond your imagination.  Peter encourages you to, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:6-7)

Prayer:  Lord, strengthen my faith, especially during times of worry, that I give my worries to You and wait for you to help me in Your time and way.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Be still, my soul; the Lord is on your side; Bear patiently

The cross of grief or pain; Leave to your God  To order and provide;

In ev’ry change He faithful will remain.

Be still, my soul; your best, your heav’nly Friend

Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul; your god will undertake To guide the future

As He has the past.  Your hope, your confidence let nothing shake;

All now mysterious shall be bright at last.

Be still, my soul; the waves and winds still know

His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.

Be still, my soul; though dearest friends depart And all is darkened

In this vale of tears; Then you will better know His love, His heart,

Who comes to soothe your sorrows and your fears.

Be still, my soul; your Jesus can repay

From His own fulness all He takes away.

Be still, my soul; the hour is hast’ning on

When we shall be forever with the Lord.

When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,

Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.

Be still, my soul; when change and tears are past,

All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

(LSB 752)