Matthew 6:25-34
Do Not Worry
25 "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 important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 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? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
28 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 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, O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Hebrews 6:13-20
Hope is the Anchor for the Soul
13 When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, 14 saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.” 15 And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.
16 Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. 17 Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. 18 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. 19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 20 where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.
One of my favorite books in the Bible is the Book of Job...I have read it many, many times...I have read it, hoping there is something in it to help in my suffering of anxiety...I wish I could say that my anxiety started just a week ago , or last month, or even a few years ago, but that would be untrue...I have had anxiety over forty four years now...I have have asked God through many prayers to heal my anxiety, but it persists...I have like Job questioned God and many times ask Him why...My anxiety persists in thoughts (my negative ones-which I have many), my emotions, my body sensations, in my dreams, and in my memories...I may be dreaming at night and wake up in an anxiety state...And if I have an old memory that pops up and if the memory is negative and fearful, I will be stricken by anxiety...My wife once said that I am self-absorbed in anxiety, and that is a sad but true statement...I have had anxiety attacks thousand of times and they cause me fear, dread, and heaviness, and bring or tension and aches and pains throughout my body...My anxiety in some years has been all consuming...And some days it is 24/7...
Letting go and letting God means trusting in Him with all your troubles...No one is saying that this is easy, but it is comforting for those who can do it...Resting in the our Father's Arms is a comforting belief and hope...
As I look to Scripture, I also have read the story of do not worry that Jesus teaches us and I also have read this many times...Jesus addressed worries and fears, and gives us good advice to change my way of looking at life and my focus on myself and my self-absorptions and the all consuming ways of anxiety and look to God...Let us focus on the Most Positive Force in the universe and that is God...I have read these verses many times, and will continue to read them...There is more to life than worry, negative thinking, and dread...And I know that anxiety and worry will not add one minute to my life...And I can see how beautifully God has clothed the fields...So there is God, and there is hope in His Son...
The best thing one suffering from anxiety can do is to Let Go and Let God...Jesus makes that clear...I have tried this many times, and still struggle with anxiety...I will continue to try...And in my prayers, I have at times like Jacob wrestled with God over this subject...But God and Jesus give me hope...And in hope springs eternal...I will continue to pray and to believe in this Great Hope...This hope is the anchor to my soul...