Anxiety and Faith

Anxiety and Faith
Read Matthew 6-10
“So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will care for itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
We live in a world described as a culture of fear. One reason there is so much conflict and anger today is that people are fearful of the future. There is a sense that our world is rushing headlong into self-destruction, so people become fearful in the present. A close companion to fear is anger, for anger is the emotional response to what we perceive as a threat. The word itself refers to the apprehension and anxiety one experiences when we encounter a danger or threat. In the world today, the great perceived threat is what will happen tomorrow. We live with a deep-rooted concern that disaster lies just around the corner, whether it be economic, political, or societal. Chapman University has been tracking, for the last 11 years, the fears that Americans have. The top three fears of Americans are 1/ Corrupt Government Officials (69.1%), 2/ People I love becoming seriously ill (58.9%), and 3/ economic/financial collapse (58.2%). In another survey conducted by the American Psychological Association, 77% of adults are anxious about the future of our nation, making it the most significant source of stress in their lives.
In Matthew 6:25-34, Christ addresses the paralysis of fear that can grip our souls, for fear arises when we lose sight of God’s sovereign control over the world and our lives. Christ reminds us that the future of our lives and the future of the nations does not lie in the control of chance or the wisdom of men. Our world is not governed by the arbitrary laws of chance and evolution. Rather, the universe is governed by a personal God who remains in control of the universe and of the events and circumstances that happen in our own lives. Nor is he an impersonal God who is unconcerned or uncaring in our lives. Instead, he not only cares for the whole of creation (vs 26), but he gives his special care to our lives and the circumstances we are facing (26b, vs 30). Every concern we have, every worry that plagues us in the night, every need we have—both real and imagined—he already knows, and he is already providing for us. So instead of being caught up in the worries and concerns of the day, we can focus on our greatest need, which is seeking to establish his sovereign rule in our lives (vs 33). The more we surrender to him, the more secure we become. When we are focused on Christ and following him, every concern or threat we might face is already addressed by the God who loves us.