Always Abounding - Spring 2021

overcoming anxiety
by Mr. Dave Olson
“Be careful for nothing; but in every
thing by prayer and supplication
with thanksgiving let your requests
be made known unto God. And
the peace of God, which passeth
all understanding, shall keep your
hearts and minds through Christ
Jesus” —Philippians 4:6-7.
Life
is
filled with
troubles.
Problems seem
to abound
everywhere—
at home,
at work, in
the church,
in our families, and throughout
society. Without God, we would
certainly have much to be anxious
about. Unfortunately, we often
fail to seek the Lord as we should
when difficulties arise. When that
happens, we fall prey to worry and
fear.
In the apostle Paul’s day, times
were tough too—tougher than what
most of us will ever experience.
Many Christians faced deep poverty
and dreadful persecution. It is
not surprising that some of them
battled anxiety. Paul understood
what it was like to experience
hardships and heartaches. He
had been beaten and imprisoned
many times. When writing to the
believers in Philippi, he shared
what enabled him to rejoice
despite great sorrow and suffering.
He offered some steps that would
enable them to overcome anxiety.
The timeless truths that Paul shared
with the Philippians will help us too!
So, let’s consider what we can do to
conquer anxiety before it conquers
us.
Step 1: Worry About Nothing
– The first thing we must do is to
stop worrying. That is what Paul
meant when he said, “Be careful
for nothing.” This is not merely
a suggestion from man but a
command from God. The word
careful means “to be anxious
about.” The Lord would not tell
us to cease our anxiousness if it
were not possible. In other words,
worrying is a choice. Once we see
anxiety as God sees it, we are on
our way to having victory over it.
However, if we make excuses for our
worries and fears, we will be prone
to live in defeat. Perhaps you may
say, “I can’t stop worrying.” Yes,
you can; but you have to follow the
steps that God gave to us in the
verses listed above.
Step 2: Pray About Everything
– After deciding to no longer allow
anxiety to control you, you must
12 | ALWAYS ABOUNDING