Thanks to Rev. Bryan Wolfmueller and Rev. Andrew Packer for help on the topic of anxiety and sin.
Date: October 1, 2023
Festival: Evening Prayer
Text: Matthew 6:25-34
Preaching Occasion: Christ the King Lutheran Chapel, Mt. Pleasant, MI
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
“Do not be anxious,” our Lord says. If you’re anything like me, perhaps you’re thinking, “Easier said than done, Jesus!” We might understand the concept of what He’s saying, “Which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?” True, worrying is like a rocking chair; it gives you something to do, but it doesn’t get you anywhere. But still, we cannot stop worrying about tomorrow! Does that mean anxiety is a sin because you’re not trusting God enough? Well, yes. He says don’t be anxious about anything. But then we begin worrying about worrying too much. “Am I worrying so much that I’ll lose my salvation because I’m not trusting God enough?” No. People who’ve lost their salvation wouldn’t be so worried about it!
There are practical things we can do to help our anxiety, such as task management, breathing exercises, and even medication in extreme cases. Whenever my wife has a panic attack, I hold her tight in my arms and gently tell her to breathe slowly. These things are helpful, but something is still missing. To take a more holistic approach, the Scriptures also give us some practical advice on what to do with our anxiety.
Philippians 4 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” [vv. 6-7]. So, the opposite of worry is not the absence of worry, but prayer, supplication, and thanksgiving. 1 Peter 5 says, “[cast] all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you” [v. 7]. Anxiety is self-care, and the opposite of this is confidence in God’s care. Jesus says the same thing, which we heard, “Are you not of more value than [the birds]? …Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.” Faith in the Father’s provision is the opposite of anxiety.
So, here’s an exercise you can adopt for yourself: In moments of worry or anxiety, whether it’s something you suddenly remembered you were supposed to do or you’re anxious about the future and all the possibilities it could contain, receive it as a gift from the Holy Spirit who is prompting you to pray. When these moments come when you realise you’re not in control, take it as a reminder to pray. It might sound radical, but stop whatever it is you’re doing, and find a place to quietly pray, and you can thank the Lord for it. You can say, “Thank You for reminding me to pray, and reminding me that I’m not in control, but You are. I need Your help. Please give me peace, resolution, and wisdom to know what I ought to do in this circumstance.” Instead of letting your anxiety build up, you can say, “Thank the Lord that He is building a prayer list for me!” So, a lot of worries can be a blessing because when we don’t know what to pray for, all we need to do is remember what we’re worried about and take it to the Lord in prayer, just as we sing in the hymn, “Are we weak and heavy laden, / Cumbered with a load of care? / Precious Savior, still our refuge— / Take it to the Lord in prayer” [LSB #770 What a Friend We Have in Jesus, stz. 3].
Jesus’ practical advice is to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and this is exactly what we do in prayer. To seek His kingdom and righteousness is to seek Jesus, for Jesus is God’s kingdom and righteousness incarnate, and to go to Him in prayer is to seek Jesus. Prayer teaches us that the thing we want to have control over but don’t have control over, God not only cares about it, but He also has the power to do something about it. So, when you put it in His hands, you can step back and say, “Like Jesus said, if I keep worrying about it, it’s not going to add anything to my life but wear me out. But as I look around, I see that God takes care of everyone and everything, so He’s more than capable of taking care of me.” You can look to the cross and say, “Jesus died for me. Clearly, He cares about me. So, why am I worrying so much about this thing when God sent His Son to die for me? He’s already taken care of my salvation. How can this little thing compare to that?”
So then, whatever might be causing you worry, take it to the Lord in prayer, because He cares about you, and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.
The Lutheran Column 