Anxiety is an emphasis on the parts over the whole. It is a distortion of our perspective of life, seeing the individual problems in our lives rather than the fullness of life that Christ offers. It is like a tunnel through a mountain – narrow, dark and entirely missing the grandeur of the larger picture.
So how do we get out of this Tunnel of Anxiety? Paul offers several instructions.
First, be conscious of and rejoice in God’s grace. “Rejoice in the Lord always.” It is an emphatic command, not just a suggestion.
Second, we must be gracious with God’s grace. “Let your gentleness be evident to all.” We must follow Jesus in adhering to the spirit of the law and not keeping so tightly to the letter that we fail to show love and gentleness to the world around me. We have been shown grace and must show it in turn to the world.
Third, we must recognize the closeness of God’s grace. “The Lord is near.” The Psalms tell us that God is close to the brokenhearted, and James writes that if we draw near to God, he draws near to us. And not just near physically, but near in time. This life is brief and our time to be with Christ in eternity is closer than we realize.
Fourth, we must request God’s grace, seeking it earnestly, “by prayer and petition,” making bold requests of God. God is willing to take those complex individual parts of our lives and help us see how it fits into His bigger picture. God has a far broader perspective than even just our mountain, let alone our tunnel.
Fifth, we are to be grateful for God’s grace. Our requests are to be “with thanksgiving,” even in the midst of anxiety, troubles and persecution.
The result of all of this is peace. Peace is the restoration of wholeness to all these complex individual parts. This is itself a small picture of the gospel: a perfect creation, broken, but redeemed and restored to wholeness by the work of Christ.
Anxiety calls is to put a higher priority on the individual parts of life, but God’s grace reminds us that God has higher purposes and plans no matter how those individual problems sort themselves out. And this wholeness is not just an individual thing, but a wholeness that binds is together with the body of Christ.
The true cure for anxiety is not a lessening of emotional pain but a restoration of the whole picture of God’s grace. In the “aha” moment between anxiety and peace, we must remember that it did not come from within, but rather is a gift of God.
Peace is a garrison within our hearts that protects, strengthens and heals us. And as Paul writes, this all comes from the Prince of Peace Himself. “Peace I give to you; my peace I leave with you.”
When anxiety comes, we must be conscious of God’s grace, gracious with that grace to ourselves and others, be aware of the nearness of that grace, seek His grace in prayer, and be grateful for that grace. Through all of this, God offers a peace that transcends all our limited understanding.
– Sermon Notes, Jeff Krabach, Seed Church, Lynnwood, WA, October 14, 2018
Philippians 4:4-7
Something went wrong with the bible. Please make sure that you are requesting a valid passage! If this problem presits please contact joshuawiecorek@outlook.com