Forgetfulness and Anxiety

Last week's post was on various aspects of forgetfulness and their consequences. This week is a review of the aspects of anxiety/worry when we forget what God has provided for His own.

Anyone who is honest has struggled with anxiety and/or worry at one time or another. There are plenty of causes, both internal and external, for either. Will I meet the right person to marry? Will I get into the school I want to attend? Will I get a job that supports me sufficiently? Will I be able to be a good parent? Will I be able to help my parents in ways that are useful to them? Will I even be able to have a child? Will my marriage last? Will I run out of money? Many questions can cause us anxiety, anxious thoughts, and worry takes over our minds and lives.

I should know. I have been a victim of anxiety. It started when I was in college, many years ago. It got to the point that I had to leave school for a while. Providentially, I was able to pull myself together, return (under probation, admittedly), and complete my degree.

But that was not the end of my struggles.

How have I been able to deal with these recurring matters? Through Scripture, counseling based on Scripture, prayer, repenting, facing the fears that are behind my anxiety and worry, rejoicing in God's eternal goodness and faithfulness.

I went through a major struggle when we first moved to California in 1994, and I found a great deal of help from Elizabeth George's book, Loving God with All Your Mind, because it directed me to these places: 2 Corinthians 10:3-5: "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ"; and Philippians 4:6-8: "Be anxious for nothing, 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 comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things."

Philippians 4:8 also gave me a grid through which to process my thoughts and my emotions.

There are dozens of places in both the Old Testament and the New Testament which deal with these issues of the heart.

I have not "arrived" but now I know where to go and Who to go to when I struggle. Psalm 94:19: "When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Your consolations delight my soul." Psalm 139:23-24: "Search me, O God, and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way."

What is essential is trusting in the unchanging character of the One who saved and is sanctifying His own. When His priorities are ours, we can rest.

(Books that have assisted me are many: A Lifting Up for the Downcast by William Bridges; All Things for Good by Thomas Watson; The Bruised Reed by Richard Sibbes; Anxious for Nothing (first published as Anxiety Attacked) by John MacArthur; A Shelter in the Time of Storm by Paul David Tripp; and Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled by Martyn Lloyd-Jones.) What do these books have in common? They are based on Scripture.