Anxiety is a major mental health concern today, impacting millions of people worldwide. Though it might feel like a modern day problem, anxiety has been around since Biblical times. Jesus, Peter, and Paul all encouraged believers to hand our worries over to God. Anxiety often stems from feeling inadequate, believing our needs are bigger than our resources. The devil uses this weakness, but these challenges can also become moments to experience God’s grace.
On this episode of Set Free, Pastor Ken Legg reminds us that God’s grace is always with us to help us overcome anxiety. He highlights the importance of humility and acknowledging our need for God. This allows us to lean on His strength rather than trying to escape our struggles on our own.
For instance, the Apostle Paul’s ‘thorn in the flesh’ illustrates how God’s strength is revealed through our weaknesses. The Bible shares many examples, like the disciples feeling anxious during storms, where Jesus comforted them, saying, ‘Do not worry.’
‘Of course the devil knows exactly how to push your panic buttons,’ says Ken. ‘He knows the areas where you feel most vulnerable and he will test you in those areas. But these are also the areas where you can most expect to experience God’s grace. Your greatest moments of stress and anxiety are the times when you will discover that God’s grace is sufficient for you.’
Hand our worries over to God
Peter and Paul both teach us to hand our worries over to God and be thankful. Gratitude is important because it shows our trust in God. When we focus on what God can do instead of what we can’t, it helps ease our anxiety. By looking to God’s help instead of our problems, we can find peace, even in hard times.
Paul encouraged believers to focus on what is true and good, reminding us to turn our thoughts to God’s promises. Everyone has anxious thoughts, but it’s important to take charge and guide them toward God’s truth. By breaking down negative thinking and replacing it with what the Bible says, we can find relief from anxiety.
‘If you’re humble,’ says Ken, ‘and you’re living in that sense of Christ dependency, then there’s grace for you. In fact, the normal Christian life is a life of abiding in Christ and enjoying His resources as they are made available to us.’
There are several practical ways to manage anxiety, like prayer, thanksgiving, and seeking professional help. Turning to God’s truths regularly can help us combat feelings that impact our emotional health. Ken reminds us we don’t have to carry our burdens alone, God provides the strength we need to be free from anxiety.
‘Thanksgiving is recognising that we all go through these difficult circumstances,’ says Ken, ‘but God’s grace is there. When we’re in a situation that we feel we can’t handle, we can say, even though I can’t see how I’m going to cope, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. We can give thanks to God for His wonderful provision.’
We can’t stop all thoughts from entering our minds, but we can choose which ones to keep. The Apostle Paul tells us to focus on what is true and good and to let go of negative thoughts. Anxiety often comes from believing things that aren’t true, which can lead to feelings that don’t reflect reality.
‘The truth is that God can supply all our needs exactly according to His riches in glory,’ says Ken. ‘Not according to our limited resources.’
Listen to Ken’s full message below:
