From Anxiety and Fear to Peace and Courage

Recently, a panel of medical experts recommended that all adults under 65 be screened for anxiety. The current state of mental and emotional health alarms medical and mental health experts. Troubling mental and emotional health is being played out in alcohol and substance abuse, domestic violence, and suicide. It’s not news to any of us that anxiety and fear are affecting the health of every segment of society. Dr. Jim Denison describes 2020 this way. The year 2020 “began like 1973 with impeachment, then became 1918 with a pandemic, followed by 2008 with the recession, followed by 1968 with nationwide civil unrest.” I would add a hyper polarized election cycle to the mix. Everything seems unstable and unpredictable. People are constantly thrown off balance by the shifting ground. Not only is the ground shifting, but there is little around to grab hold of. Uncertainty, tension, and fluidity of life fuels anxiety and fear. Fear and anxiety effects everyone’s sense of happiness and for most people, happiness is the top value in their lives. After all, everyone wants to be happy. Michael Horton has insightfully described the wrestle with anxiety and fear when he writes: “Perhaps all of our anxieties can be reduced to the fear of being unhappy.” Many people are not just unhappy, but they are afraid of being unhappy. Followers of Jesus do not need to live under the cloud of anxiety and fear. Jesus has called his followers out of anxiety and fear into peace and courage! Let these verses find root in your soul. Scriptures like these, when they find root, combat anxiety and fear. “The LORD is my light and my salvation—so why should I be afraid? The LORD is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?” Psalms 27:1 (NLT) “Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT) “Don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” Matthew 6:31-34 (NLT) I encourage you to read and meditate on these verses over and over throughout the days ahead. These truths will nourish and transform you.