Pastor's Corner: Be anxious for nothing

At Havre Assembly and Havre Assembly Online, we started a new sermon series Sunday, July 25, called "Anxious for Nothing." The series is based on the Apostle Paul's writings in Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJV): "6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." We are also using a book written by Max Lucado by that same title "Anxious for Nothing," written in 2017, Thomas Nelson Publishing. We have purchased copies of this book for our Leadership Team members, and I would encourage anyone dealing with anxiety to purchase this book.

Here are my notes from the sermon on that Sunday. As we look at the scripture above, we realize that the Apostle Paul in saying "be anxious for nothing" is encouraging us to fret less or not at all and to have more faith.

People that fret a lot have to deal with the problem of anxiety. What is anxiety anyway? "Anxiety is a meteor shower of what-ifs. What if I don't close the sale? ... Don't get the bonus? ... Can't afford the braces for the kids? ... Anxiety is trepidation." Anxiety, if not dealt with makes you into a Chicken Little, always concerned that the sky is falling. You also will become like the Winnie the Pooh character Eeyore, feeling like the ills of life are falling disproportionately on you. Anxiety and fear are not the same. "Anxiety and fear are cousins but not twins. Fear sees a threat. Anxiety imagines one ... Anxiety ponders, what if? ... Anxiety creates doom and gloom." Anxiety is the paranoia that you have that convinces you to voice that tells you to "never, ever, for the rest of your life, walk barefooted through the grass. There might be a snake ... somewhere." Anxiety robs us of our sleep, our energy, and our well-being. And yet, the psalmist tells us in Psalm 37:8 (NKJV) to "8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; do not fret - it only causes harm." "Anxiety can twist us into emotional pretzels ... To see the consequences of anxiety, just read about half the ailments in a medical textbook ... Anxiety ain't fun ...  Anxiety disorders are reaching epidemic proportions ... In a given year nearly 50,000,000 Americans will feel the effects of a panic attack, phobias, or other anxiety disorders ... Anxiety disorders in the U.S. are the number one mental health problem among ... women and are second only to alcohol and drug abuse among men ... The U.S. is now the most-anxious nation in the world." These are all statistics. Placing those aside for a moment, haven't you noticed a decided increase in anxiety disorders? What about depression? Anxiety not dealt with leads to depression. Is there an exponential increase in depression? "People of each generation in the 20th century were three times more likely to experience depression than people of the preceding generation ... Something about our particular way of life is making us less calm and composed ... The average child today exhibits the same level of anxiety as the average psychiatric patient in the 1950s." Again, these are stats. But, haven't you noticed an increase in cases of depression? Why are we so anxious and so depressed? Could it be because of change, travel, personal challenges, and getting older? Or all of the above? We definitely are tense.

And what about Christians? "One would think Christians would be exempt from worry. But we are not. We have been taught that the Christian life is a life of peace, and when we don't have peace, we assume the problem lies within us. Not only do we feel anxious, but we also feel guilty about our anxiety! The result is a downward spiral of worry, guilt, worry, guilt."

All right, we know that we are an anxious people! We know that we are a depressed people! And we know that the Apostle Paul encourages to not be anxious about anything! Does he really mean Philippians 4:6's "Be anxious for nothing?" This verse is written in the present active tense. That means that what Paul is warning us against is an ongoing state of perpetual anxiety. In other words, "The presence of anxiety is unavoidable, but the prison of anxiety is optional." We have to be aware that "anxiety is not a sin; it is an emotion. Anxiety can, however, lead to sinful behavior."

Luke 21:34 (NKJV) tells us: "34 But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly." We must be careful, or our hearts will be weighted down with ... the anxieties of life. So, let me ask you a few questions. "Is your heart weighed down with worry? Are you laughing less? Do you see problems in every promise? Are you increasingly negative and critical? Do you assume something bad is going to happen? Do you dilute and downplay good news? Would you rather stay in bed most days than get up? Do you magnify the negative and dismiss the positive? Given the chance, would you avoid any interaction with humanity for the rest of your life?" If so, you definitely need to read what the Apostle Paul says in Philippians 4:4-8 (NKJV): "4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things."

Max Lucado, the author of the book "Anxious for Nothing," gives us a helpful acrostic based upon these Scripture verses: "C. A. L. M.: Celebrate God's goodness. Rejoice in the Lord always - Philippians 4:6; Ask God for help. Let your requests be made known to God - Philippians 4:6; Leave your concerns with Him. With thanksgiving ... - Philippians 4:8; Meditate on good things. Think about things that are good and worthy of praise. Celebrate. Ask. Leave. Meditate. C.A.L.M." Could you use some calm? "It is not God's will that you lead a life of perpetual anxiety. It is not His will that you face every day with dread and trepidation. God made you for more than a life of breath-stealing angst and mind-splitting worry. He has a new chapter for your life. And He is ready to write it." We need to remember that God loves His children. He oversees your world. He monitors your life. By God's power you can be anxious for nothing and discover the peace which passes all understanding. Together, we can pray: "Dear Lord,

You spoke to storms. Would You speak to ours? You calmed the hearts of the apostles. Would you calm the chaos within us? You told them to fear not. Say the same to us. We are weary from our worry, battered and belittles by the gales of life. Oh Prince of Peace, impart to us a spirit of calm ... Quench anxiety. Stir courage. Let us know less fret and more faith.

In Jesus' Name, amen!"

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Put together by the Rev. Edroy "CURT" Curtis, president of the Greater Havre Area Ministerial Association, Northern Montana Care Center chaplain and lead pastor of Havre Assembly of God Church, with quotes from the New King James Version of the Bible and all other quotes from Max Lucado in his book, "Anxious for Nothing," 2017; Thomas Nelson Publishing