Finding Peace Amidst Anxiety: Trusting God’s Care
Summary
### Summary
Good morning, everyone. Today, we are wrapping up our series called "The Bag of Angry Bees," which has focused on anxiety. Our church is a place where everyone is welcome, regardless of where they are in their journey with Jesus. We aim to help each person take their next step in their relationship with Him.
I shared a personal story about how I’ve injured myself on the same date, December 23rd, for the past few years. This led me to question if my body was trying to tell me something deeper. This date is significant because it’s right before Christmas, a time filled with immense pressure and anxiety for many, including myself. Christmas is like the Super Bowl for our church, and the pressure to make it perfect can be overwhelming.
We’ve discussed the difference between fear and anxiety. Fear is a response to something happening now, while anxiety is a future-oriented worry about what might happen. Many of us have experienced anxiety in various forms, and it often manifests in our bodies. Curtis Chang, in his book "The Anxiety Opportunity," explains that anxiety can cause physical symptoms like muscle tension, digestive issues, and sleep problems.
The Bible also speaks about this. In Psalm 31, David describes his distress and how it affects his body. He cries out to God, acknowledging his physical and emotional pain. This psalm teaches us that anxiety is not just an emotional issue but a physical one as well.
We often try to cope with anxiety by turning it into hard work, moral perfection, or caring for others while neglecting ourselves. However, these methods are not sustainable. Anxiety eventually makes itself known in our bodies, and we need to address it holistically.
David’s psalm also shows us that we can call upon God for rescue. God is anything around which we orbit our lives. When we make God the center, we can trust Him to lift us up with His mighty hand. The Apostle Peter encourages us to cast all our anxiety on God because He cares for us.
Today, I invite you to seek God’s help in healing. Whether you have a lot of faith or just a little, God meets us where we are. Even if you feel like you don’t have enough faith, remember the story of the father who asked Jesus to help his unbelief. Jesus responded with compassion and healing.
As we conclude this series, remember that God cares for you deeply. Whatever anxiety you face, may you find comfort in the love of the Father, the grace of the Son, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.
### Key Takeaways
1. Anxiety and the Body: Anxiety is not just an emotional issue but also a physical one. It manifests in our bodies through symptoms like muscle tension, digestive issues, and sleep problems. Recognizing this can help us address anxiety more holistically. [30:20]
2. The Difference Between Fear and Anxiety: Fear is a response to something happening now, while anxiety is a future-oriented worry about what might happen. Understanding this distinction can help us better manage our anxious thoughts and feelings. [26:14]
3. God as Our Center: Whatever we orbit our lives around becomes our god. When we make God the center of our lives, we can trust Him to lift us up and help us through our anxieties. This shift in focus can bring immense peace and relief. [39:26]
4. The Power of Humility: Humility is crucial when seeking God's help. The Apostle Peter encourages us to humble ourselves under God's mighty hand so that He may lift us up. This act of humility allows us to cast our anxieties on Him, knowing that He cares for us. [45:09]
5. Faith and Healing: Even if we feel like we don't have enough faith, God meets us where we are. The story of the father who asked Jesus to help his unbelief shows that God responds to our cries for help, regardless of the size of our faith. [48:17]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[23:15] - Introduction to the Series
[23:43] - Personal Story of Injury
[24:13] - The Question of Anxiety
[25:14] - Understanding Anxiety
[25:44] - Statistics on Anxiety
[26:14] - Fear vs. Anxiety
[27:15] - Cultivating Anxiety
[27:46] - Christmas Pressure
[28:47] - The Super Bowl of Church
[29:18] - Coping with Anxiety
[30:20] - Anxiety in the Body
[31:09] - Personal Story of a Pastor Friend
[32:10] - Biblical Perspective on Anxiety
[32:41] - Psalm 31: David's Lament
[35:48] - Duration and Intensity of Anxiety
[37:23] - Coping Mechanisms
[38:57] - Psalmist's Trust in God
[39:26] - God as Our Center
[42:38] - The Body Keeps the Score
[44:06] - God Can Rescue
[45:09] - The Power of Humility
[47:16] - Faith and Healing
[50:22] - Invitation to Seek Healing
[55:36] - Conclusion and Blessing
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1. Psalm 31:9-10: "Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am in distress. My eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and body with grief. My life is consumed by anguish and my years by groaning; my strength fails because of my affliction, and my bones grow weak."
2. 1 Peter 5:6-7: "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."
3. Mark 9:24: "Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, 'I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!'"
### Observation Questions
1. What physical symptoms of anxiety does David describe in Psalm 31:9-10?
2. According to 1 Peter 5:6-7, what are we encouraged to do with our anxieties, and why?
3. In Mark 9:24, how does the father express his faith and doubt to Jesus? What is Jesus' response to him?
### Interpretation Questions
1. How does David’s description of his physical symptoms in Psalm 31:9-10 help us understand the connection between anxiety and the body? [32:41]
2. What does it mean to humble ourselves under God’s mighty hand according to 1 Peter 5:6-7, and how does this act relate to casting our anxieties on Him? [45:09]
3. How does the father’s plea in Mark 9:24 reflect a common struggle in our faith journey, and what does Jesus’ response teach us about God’s compassion? [48:17]
### Application Questions
1. Reflecting on Psalm 31:9-10, have you ever experienced physical symptoms due to anxiety? How did you address them, and what might you do differently now? [32:41]
2. In what ways can you practice humility in your daily life to better cast your anxieties on God, as encouraged in 1 Peter 5:6-7? [45:09]
3. The sermon mentioned that anxiety often manifests in our bodies. What are some practical steps you can take to address both the physical and emotional aspects of your anxiety? [30:20]
4. The father in Mark 9:24 asked Jesus to help his unbelief. Is there an area in your life where you struggle with doubt? How can you bring this to God in prayer? [48:17]
5. The sermon highlighted the importance of making God the center of our lives. What are some things you currently orbit your life around, and how can you shift your focus to God? [39:26]
6. How can you support someone in your life who is dealing with anxiety, based on the principles discussed in the sermon? [50:50]
7. The pastor shared a personal story about recurring injuries around Christmas due to stress and anxiety. Can you identify a specific time or event in your life that triggers anxiety? How can you prepare for it differently this year? [24:13]
Devotional
Day 1: Anxiety and the Body
Anxiety is not just an emotional issue but also a physical one. It manifests in our bodies through symptoms like muscle tension, digestive issues, and sleep problems. Recognizing this can help us address anxiety more holistically. Curtis Chang, in his book "The Anxiety Opportunity," explains that anxiety can cause physical symptoms like muscle tension, digestive issues, and sleep problems. The Bible also speaks about this. In Psalm 31, David describes his distress and how it affects his body. He cries out to God, acknowledging his physical and emotional pain. This psalm teaches us that anxiety is not just an emotional issue but a physical one. [30:20]
Psalm 31:9-10 (ESV): "Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; my eye is wasted from grief; my soul and my body also. For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing; my strength fails because of my iniquity, and my bones waste away."
Reflection: Think about a time when you felt anxious and experienced physical symptoms. How did your body react? Can you ask God to help you recognize these signs earlier and seek His peace?
Day 2: The Difference Between Fear and Anxiety
Fear is a response to something happening now, while anxiety is a future-oriented worry about what might happen. Understanding this distinction can help us better manage our anxious thoughts and feelings. Fear is immediate and often rational, while anxiety is anticipatory and can be irrational. By recognizing this difference, we can approach our worries with more clarity and seek appropriate ways to address them. [26:14]
Matthew 6:34 (ESV): "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."
Reflection: Identify a current fear and a future anxiety you are experiencing. How can you address the immediate fear and trust God with the future anxiety?
Day 3: God as Our Center
Whatever we orbit our lives around becomes our god. When we make God the center of our lives, we can trust Him to lift us up and help us through our anxieties. This shift in focus can bring immense peace and relief. When we center our lives around God, we align our priorities and find stability in His unchanging nature. This allows us to navigate life's uncertainties with a sense of peace and trust. [39:26]
Isaiah 26:3 (ESV): "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you."
Reflection: What is currently at the center of your life? How can you intentionally shift your focus to make God the center and experience His peace?
Day 4: The Power of Humility
Humility is crucial when seeking God's help. The Apostle Peter encourages us to humble ourselves under God's mighty hand so that He may lift us up. This act of humility allows us to cast our anxieties on Him, knowing that He cares for us. Humility involves recognizing our limitations and dependence on God. It is through this posture that we can truly surrender our worries and trust in His care and provision. [45:09]
1 Peter 5:6-7 (ESV): "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you."
Reflection: In what areas of your life do you struggle with pride and self-reliance? How can you practice humility today by casting your anxieties on God?
Day 5: Faith and Healing
Even if we feel like we don't have enough faith, God meets us where we are. The story of the father who asked Jesus to help his unbelief shows that God responds to our cries for help, regardless of the size of our faith. God honors even the smallest steps of faith and meets us with His compassion and healing. This encourages us to come to Him honestly, even with our doubts and fears. [48:17]
Mark 9:24 (ESV): "Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, 'I believe; help my unbelief!'"
Reflection: What area of your life do you feel you lack faith in? Can you bring this to God today and ask Him to help your unbelief and bring healing?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "Our intention is for people to kind of make their own decision about Jesus. And so wherever you start, kind of your own experience or relationship with Jesus, history, Bible, church, whatever, it doesn't matter. But our invitation, our hope, our longing is that you get a chance to take your next step." [23:15] (13 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "We are a group of people, we're just kind of pointing our lives at Jesus. We're trying to orient our lives around Him. We believe that's what we were made for. And so however that looks like for you, our hope is that you can take your next step in that particular journey." [23:43] (12 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Now is now. Now is not forever. Today is today. Today is not forever. And so what we tend to do, this is how we tend to handle it, the things we kind of think about are things like this. We take things like anxiety and we use it as virtue fuel." [37:23] (20 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "God is anything around which a person orbits their life. Now granted, there's the God of the universe that we're kind of talking about also. But anything that we orbit our life around, that thing is, that is the object of worship. That becomes the God for us." [39:26] (17 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "God works when we show up. And it doesn't have to be pretty when we show up. That's the best affirmation of our church. Boy, it doesn't have to be pretty. You know what? I want to just give you a couple things." [52:04] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "The belief in the duration of our anxiety is directly proportional to its intensity. By that I mean, sorry about the algebra, by that I mean, the stronger our anxious moments are, the stronger the anxiety experience is, the more likely we are to believe that it will last forever." [36:20] (18 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Anxiety eventually makes itself known in the body. In the body. Most of us have an understanding about anxiety, which I mean, I would say all of us have an understanding about anxiety that it's primarily a way we feel, which is true. But oftentimes because of the way we work, how fast we move, and the things that we've got to take care of, and all of the people that maybe depend on us, or the pressure we either imagine or feel that's actually real, that's put upon us, we don't notice it until it shows up in the body." [30:20] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "People with anxiety have a low tolerance for uncertainty. We've mentioned this before throughout the series as a way to kind of keep sort of on track. People who have low tolerance for uncertainty, definitely, the lower your tolerance is for uncertainty, the higher your anxiety is going to be." [46:12] (11 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "The effects of anxiety are felt in the body. The Psalmist believes this. He understands this. The effects of anxiety are felt in the body. And the second one, which is a little bit more, probably like you can get that one no matter what, but this one's where you get a little bit more something. Here's what he says. God can be called upon to rescue." [44:06] (18 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Jesus, would you reveal to us for a moment where our own anxiety might be in our body? Maybe where we haven't been able to identify it before. Might the pain be an indicator of something? Jesus, you know our anxieties. You know the things that have brought our anxieties to life. You know the things that we've adopted to kind of deal with those anxieties." [54:29] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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