“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Philippians 4:6
Observation | First, we will unpack what it means to be “anxious.” Anxiousness, or worry, can be at times be translated from the original language as “care” or “concern.” The context is what points to “anxiety” when the idea is of over concern, or dwelling on something that is outside of our control. In other words, it is one thing to actively care for something and be as “wise as a serpent” (Matt 10:16), but another thing to overly focus on something that nothing can be done about. For example think of how someone would handle a job interview or job review. The weeks or days coming up to it could be spent in debilitating anxiety. That would be a failing to keep the call of this verse. However, a healthy concern would would lead someone to be ready with diligent and God honoring preparation.
Jesus says, no one can add a single hour to our life (Matt 6:27). So why would we overly concern ourselves with things, when our worry amounts to nothing.
Maybe Jesus’ teaching from Matthew 6:34 was in mind as our verse was written. “Do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Worry here is again beyond a wise care or concern as the context lends to being overly focused on the future (what will be cared for when it comes) instead of the present (what can be cared for at the moment).
We further ought to conclude and confess in agreement with God’s Word that we do in fact worry. And since we are commanded to “be anxious for nothing,” we also ought to also confess our anxiety is indeed a sin. Today, many have removed anxiety from being a spiritual issue, a failing to trust the God who is in control. Modernity has made anxiety instead into a physical and mental issue. Why? Because apart from God there is only the physical to deal with. Apart from God there is only a physical being and man-made solutions.
In life there are countless temptations that give us opportunities to be anxious and worry. With so many burdens there is a continuous need for a solution. Without God, men turn to addictions, numbing their hardships with either substance, entertainment or busying themselves with the physical to escape the burden of worry. What tempts us to anxiety in our modern day are not new phenomenon’s in the history (1 Cor 10:13). What are some of anxiety’s stumbling stones? Health, finances, politics, family, and perhaps the most common, the worry of the unknown. So the question is not if we worry, or what we worry about but what is our solution for anxiety? Our natural bent is to take matters into our own hands.
Against this the Lord commands us to “be anxious for nothing.” The result of such an all extensive command means all anxiety is sin. Period. So we ought to deal with all anxiety as sin. Sin then needs to be dealt with biblically with conviction, confession, the cleansing forgiveness of Jesus and then a working toward change. This biblical work of repentance not possible through man made psychology or medications. Those are empty cisterns that appear to hold water, as if they could cure our anxieties, but they hold no solution at all (Jeremiah 2:13). God’s solution seems too simple to be true. Do you have anxiety? Then God says: “In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Talking to God (praying) about our concerns, making requests of Him (supplicating) and thanking (in place of worry) is the right and effective solution the God of the universe has given us.
Remember, God’s Word is sufficient for all of life and godliness, even anxiety. Man is not sufficient. The result then is that turning to man’s empty solutions actually compounds anxiety like an unresolved train wreck. Men go on anxious, being promised solutions from man and in reality having only empty promises. While all the while they neglect the eternal almighty God’s call to turn to Him and trust in Him.
The Lord says “be anxious for nothing” and even in this command of God’s Word we can find the power to bring about a change for us who truly believe.
Application | Do I believe and trust in the Word of God (Heb 4:12; 2 Tim 3:16-17)? Do I trust in the power of God to not only create but shape and mold His creation according to His will (Isa 45:9; 64:8; Jer 18; Rom 9:19-14)? Do I put confident trust in the work of God in my life through His Word? That it has the power to effect the change He has designed it to (Isa 55:8-11)?
If so, then why do I turn to any other solutions then trusting and obeying my Savior and Creator in His Word? In what area(s) of my life should I fulfill 1 Peter 5:7 with? “Casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.”
Prayer | Father, I have sinned against You in my many worries and anxieties. I have outright failed to trust in Your control over all things. I have run the impossible mental race of worry and anxiety. Please cleansing me in the forgiving power of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Wash away my anxiety. Put it to death. Give me a new life of trusting in You in all things and a peace that You are in control. That I might live free from worry. That I could live for Your glory alone, unhindered. Amen.
