Today, we are closing out our sermon series, Ask Us Anything, this morning with the question:
Question: What do we do with anxiety when Paul says, “Don’t be anxious about anything?”
At a church I once served, we worked with a ministry consulting group who helped lead the search for a vacancy on our staff. This Consulting group told us that we needed to make sure that all those recruited to be on the search team were those who were a “non-anxious” presence. I asked them to further clarify what they meant by that because if they meant someone who never felt anxious then I should not be on this search team. They explained that a person with a non-anxious presence is someone who is able to not let their anxiety control them or others on the team. I appreciated they didn’t say someone with no anxiety because everyone experiences anxiety.
Everyone. Including Paul. And Jesus. In Mark it says this about Jesus:
“He took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be distressed and agitated. And he said to them, I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and keep awake.” And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed.”–Mark 14:33-35
I think it’s safe to say that Jesus experienced some anxiety in this passage. He knew he was about to be betrayed, arrested, and eventually executed.
Paul himself experienced anxiety: In 2 Corinthians 11:28:
28 And, besides other things, I am under daily pressure because of my anxiety for all the churches.
Let’s also remember that Paul survived a shipwreck and multiple imprisonments. So why does Paul say do not be anxious about anything?
When we read that passage from Philippians 4, we have to, as always, learn about the context of that passage.
In the previous passage, Paul addresses two women,Euodia and Synteche, both prominent leaders in the church in Philippi and who were also in conflict with one another. Not sure what the conflict was between them, but only that it was present, and it was starting to affect others in the church. Otherwise, Paul wouldn’t have mentioned it.
Paul highlights how both Euodia and Synthece are so committed to the gospel and what great ministry partners they’ve been to Paul. This, for Paul, is something to rejoice about! And he encourages the rest of the church in Philipi to do the same. It’s as if Paul is trying to help ease the anxiety that this conflict has created by asking the others in the church to focus on what they appreciate about both women.
All conflict results in anxiety. It’s understandable why the early Christians in Philippi were anxious. These were two prominent leaders in their church, and it’s never good when those you look to for guidance are at odds with one another. Especially when there were so many other threats to this congregation.
Also, remember that they are in the minority as Christians. They were seen as the “weird new religion” with no backing from the government like the pagan temples who were by the Roman Empire, nor did they have a rich history of presence like Israel. Impending threats from the outside were only magnified by the threat of the breakdown of internal leadership in their church.
Nevertheless, Paul encourages them to rejoice in the Lord. Concentrating on the goodness of God is a sure way of not letting our worries and anxieties get the best of us. Paul then follows it up with “let your gentleness be evident to all.” What Paul wants the Philippians and us to know is that even when there is conflict and much to worry and be anxious about, we still need to be gentle with one another. It’s possible to do when we remember Paul’s words: “The Lord is near.”
Then Paul encourages the Philippians: “Do not be anxious about anything, 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 your minds in Christ Jesus.”
So two things that this passage tells us: Paul does not promise that life for us or the Philippians will be free of all that causes us to worry or be anxious. We’ll still have moments of being anxious for our kids as they start a new school year, start at a new school, learn to drive, begin college or their careers. I don’t have to name what is happening in the world or in our nation that causes great anxiety in each of us. We’ll always have to deal with some type of conflict in our families, our friendships, and in our work places that will no doubt cause some worry and anxiety.
The other thing Paul tells us is that our worries and anxieties don’t have to take over. One of the best things we can do to alleviate our worries and anxieties is to share them with God in prayer in a spirit of thankfulness. Not thank God for our anxieties per se, but thank God that God promises to be near, just as Paul says.
We can take comfort in Psalm 145: 14-15The Lord is faithful in all his words and gracious in all his deeds. 14 The Lord upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down.
And what it says in 1 Peter 5:7 7 Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you.
We tend to think that God can’t be bothered with our trivial worries as wars continue to rage in Ukraine and Gaza. But here’s the thing. God’s love is just that big. God’s love is big enough that God hears and feels the prayers of those suffering from the atrocities of war as well as our own prayers about a tense relationship with a friend or coworker. If it’s important to you, it’s important to God. God wants us to cast not just “some” but “all” of our anxieties on him. Now that is something to rejoice about.
As “homework” for this sermon I watched the movie Inside Out 2. It came out last summer and while I’m going to spoil it for you it’s still worth watching if you haven’t done so already.
The movie explores the emotions that live within the head of a thirteen-year-old girl named Riley. Each emotion is personified. There’s joy, sadness, anger, fear, and disgust. But because Riley has just started puberty, the emotions anxiety, ennui, embarrassment, and envy come aboard.
The problem is that anxiety takes over all of Riley’s emotions. Anxiety becomes the driving force in all she does: How she sees herself and how she treats others. Anxiety sees herself as helping Riley by having Riley do everything and anything to avoid the worst-case scenario. For teenage Riley, those worst-case scenarios are being a social pariah or getting cut from the hockey team. Because anxiety has taken over Riley makes decisions that hurt her best friends and robs her of the fun she used to have in hockey. Because of her anxiety, her main motivation is to just avoid the worst things that could happen. This leads to Riley having a full-blown panic attack.
Luckily, the other emotions led by the emotion Joy, are able to help Anxiety relinquish control. And there’s a beautiful scene where a remorseful Anxiety says to Joy: “I’m sorry for all of the damage I’ve caused. I only wanted to protect Riley.” What’s also beautiful is that Anxiety isn’t banished, but welcomed in as part of the team with all of the other emotions. Because each of the emotions knows that together they make up who Riley is. And Anxiety learns to sit in a comfy recliner whenever she gets too worked up.
To worry is to be alive. It shows our hearts our beating and we want all to be well for ourselves and our loved ones. But as Inside Out has shown us, it’s when those worries and anxieties become our center that we get into trouble.
Anxiety is constantly pressuring Riley to prove her worth to others and it becomes too much. That’s what happens with us too. We’re so anxious about doing what is right and proving ourselves to others that we end up becoming our own worst enemies. Our anxiety becomes a louder voice than even the voice of God, who tells us we are enough. We are loved. That God is near.
When we share our anxiety and worry with God, we will experience the peace of Christ that transcends all understanding. It doesn’t mean that all that causes us to worry or be anxious will go away, but the peace of God will make it so that our worries and anxieties won’t control us. Instead of focusing on the worst case scenarios, we will be focused on the one who gives us peace. That’s why Paul describes the peace of Christ as transcending all understanding. In Christ we are at peace when really should be freaking out about x,y and Z, but because we are anchored in Jesus and not our anxiety, we know we will be okay.
Paul goes onto say: 8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about[d] these things. 9 As for the things that you have learned and received and heard and noticed in me, do them, and the God of peace will be with you.
The peace we need is only found in the God who is peace. Let’s ask for God’s help to keep our minds on all that is good and all that is life giving. For those things are from God. And when we do that the peace of God and Jesus himself will be our center as we navigate all that causes us great worry and anxiety.