It's low-grade fear. An edginess, a dread. It's a wind that won't stop howling. It's not so much a storm as it is the certainty that one is coming. Always... coming.
So, you don't sleep well.
You don't laugh often.
You don't enjoy the sun.
You don't whistle as you walk.
The anxiety has its reasons. Airplanes fall out of the sky. Bull markets go bear. Terrorists terrorize. Good people turn bad. The other shoe will fall. Fine print is going to be found. There is misfortune to be had out there. It's just a matter of time.
And what about the tsunami of personal challenges? You, or someone you know, is facing a job loss, fighting cancer, dealing with divorce, battling addiction, or facing financial hardship.
We worry. We even feel anxious about feeling anxious.
Take heart, my friend. We all encounter anxiety, but we don't have to give in to it. There is a path out of the valley of fret, and the road map is found in the verses of Philippians 4:4-8. There are some key mile markers along the road to peace and calm.
Celebrate God's goodness.
Ask God for help.
Leave your concerns with him.
Meditate on good things.
Is God sovereign over your circumstances? Is he mightier than your problems? Does he have answers to your questions?
According to scripture, the answer is yes, yes, and yes! Trust him and you can "be anxious for nothing."
