Parking in the city (Sydney) can be rough. I can clearly remember the time when I parked my car on a busy and notoriously rough street in the city, thinking that it would be safe. I was very naive and stupid, as I had left a bag sitting on the back seat and a boot full of cricket gear and fishing tackle. The day was a Friday, the day before the big cricket match on Saturday and fishing trip on Sunday.
Saturday morning arrived. I left the place where I was staying, and as I walked to my car, which I could see in the distance, I noticed that the boot was wide open! I freaked out!! All my cricket gear and fishing tackle had been stolen. I was dead – anxiety filled me! All kinds of thoughts raced through my mind, “I have no gear for cricket – all my fishing gear is gone – what do I do”.
Life and anxiety
Life is full of these unexpected twists and turns. One minute we seem on top of the world and then the next, we hit rock bottom. We live in such a fast paced kind of world. We move from dead line to dead line, to event to event. It can all seem like a great big blur really.
Today, I want to tackle the issue of anxiety. According to Wikipedia, about 5 to 7% of the adult population in the Western World suffer from clinical anxiety. This statistic does not include the general worry and anxiety of everyday life (non-clinical). According to one site I visited, at some point in our lives, we are all bound to have a some form of a panic attack. So, why are we so worried and is this natural? Are you in this category? Let’s do a little exercise. Write down the five things that cause you to worry. Now, think about how many of the things you listed are necessities? Now on a score from 1 to 5, 1 being not at all and 5 extreme, rate the listed items in how much worry or anxiety they cause you? It is interesting to see how the findings vary between ages but most people generally identify the gaining of possessions or work as the greatest cause of anxiety. Does this apply to you?
I want to state that there are clinically diagnosed anxiety disorders caused by chemical imbalances in the brain. However, for the bulk of the general public to be constantly struggling with anxiety, then you have to ask the question “What’s going on”? Let’s delve deeper then shall we?
What is the point?
Let’s change angles to a philosophical discussion. Firstly, what do you consider to be the purpose of your life? Do you consider it merely the pursuit of capital (buying more stuff and making more money) and the conquest of relationships? Are you a materialist – this life is it and therefore, eat, drink and be merry (1 Corinthians 15:32). Or do you sense that there something more to life? Do you sense that there is a purpose and meaning to your life?
At this point, you need to ask yourself the question ‘do you believe that there is a God who transcends our existence?’ The evidence for God scientifically, philosophically and historically is overwhelming. For more on this topic, check out the series on Science and Jesus (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6 and Part 7). At this point, you might be wondering, what does God have to do with anxiety? Let us proceed.
Okay, if there is a God, who created everything and who is involved in the world, we then have to ask, ‘how can all powerful God understand how I feel?’ See, the bible teaches that Jesus is God, who became a man (John 1:1-3; 14; Philippians 2:5-6; Colossians 1:15-16; Hebrews 1:1-3). He experienced everything that we experience and he knows exactly how you feel. Jesus is upmost sympathetic to our needs and he calls on us to lay our burdens and anxieties at his feet for he loves us and cares for us.
The core of our anxieties
Anxiety stems from the disconnectedness and brokenness in our world. We were created by God to be in a relationship with him. We were created to know him, and for him to know us, but sadly we reject him and are separated from him by this rebellion. If you don’t live your life knowing Jesus, then you have been separated from your creator. It’s like trying to operate a computer that’s not plugged in. That is us, unplugged from God and living an unguided purposeless life. This leads to anxiety and ultimately, death. You will live for what ever you set your heart to rather then living for the one who made you, and truly loves you.
Jesus, who is God, came to earth and lived the life we were supposed to live (trusting in and in perfect relationship with God) and died on the cross to pay the penalty for our rejection, so that we can be brought back into relationship with him! See, God loves you so much that he would die for you! Wow!
Okay, so if I turn and live for Jesus, will all my anxieties vanish? Yes and no. We still live in a broken world. Life is hard, and it will be hard until Jesus comes back to completely fix up the mess. However, you can know your creator. You can understand the purpose of life, relationships, work, sex, marriage, money and so on. God created these for us and only through Jesus can we experience the fullness of these things.
Get to know him
God is working to get to know you. See, Jesus is speaking to us today through his bible so we can know him. I want to share a verse with you from this library of books called the bible:
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7).
Let’s conclude that only through Jesus can we know God our creator, which is the purpose of our lives! Our anxieties are the result of living in a world that is separated from God. In Philippians passage, it explains that we can talk to Jesus (prayer) and lay all requests and burdens at his feet. Are you anxious? Then why not give it a crack and talk to Jesus about it. Why not ask him for help?
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