Anxiety: The Alarm of the Heart and Mind
In our modern world, we find ourselves living in the "anxious generation." Despite having access to more medicine, health information, resources, and safety than ever before, anxiety disorders affect at least 50 million people. But what if anxiety isn't the real problem? What if it's merely an alarm, signaling that something in our lives needs attention?
Anxiety is like a smoke alarm going off in a house. We can't simply remove the batteries or muffle it with a pillow. We need to investigate why it's sounding. This perspective shift is crucial: anxiety isn't always terrible. It's an alert system, prompting us to pay attention and take action.
However, the missing piece in many approaches to anxiety is the spiritual component. When our soul is troubled, anxiety wields tremendous power over us. Addressing anxiety is, at its core, a spiritual issue.
C.S. Lewis, in his insightful work "The Screwtape Letters," offers a profound observation on anxiety:
"There is nothing like suspense or anxiety for barricading a human's mind against the Enemy (God). He (God) wants men to be concerned with what they do; our (the demons) business is to keep them thinking about what will happen to them."
This quote illuminates a critical truth: anxiety often keeps us fixated on potential future outcomes rather than focusing on obedience to God in the present moment. It's a tool that can prevent us from trusting and following God's guidance.
So how do we combat this? The answer lies in two powerful principles found in Joshua 1:7-8:
God's word forms our boundaries.
Meditation on God's word forms our foundation.
Let's explore these principles further.
God's Word as Our Boundary
The Bible tells us in Joshua 1:7, "Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go."
In a world overflowing with information, we often lack wisdom. God's Word provides clear boundaries and guidance for our lives. It's not about figuring life out on our own; it's about sticking to the path God has carved out for us through His Word.
This doesn't mean God won't lead us in other ways, but such guidance must always align with the propositional commands in Scripture. The primary direction for our lives comes from the written, revealed Word of God.
Importantly, the "success" mentioned in this passage isn't about financial prosperity or worldly achievement. God's standard of success is holiness and obedience. As Scottish novelist George MacDonald wisely noted, "In whatever man does without God, he must fail miserably, or succeed more miserably."
Meditation as Our Foundation
Joshua 1:8 instructs us, "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success."
The Hebrew word for "meditate" here paints a vivid picture. It's like a cow chewing its cud – taking in God's Word, pondering it, then bringing it back up for further reflection. This process forms a solid foundation for our lives, providing stability when anxiety tries to make us feel weak and shaky.
However, we must be cautious of the "glory-robbing voice of familiarity" – the notion that we've heard it all before and nothing will change. Genuine meditation on God's Word is like savoring a hard candy; it gets sweeter the longer we contemplate it, revealing new layers of depth and meaning.
This kind of meditation requires us to slow down, which runs counter to anxiety's urge to keep moving, avoiding, and ignoring. By intentionally dwelling on God's Word, we can dig beneath the surface and understand why our internal alarms are sounding.
The Power of God's Word in Our Lives
If God's Word isn't shaping, transforming, and ruling over us, then something or someone else is. And whatever that might be, it cannot silence the anxiety alarm like God's Word can. It's only through Scripture that we discover our true, God-given identity – an identity powerful enough to destroy anxiety's grip on our lives.
Charles Spurgeon, the renowned 19th-century preacher who battled depression and chronic illness, understood this profoundly. At just 20 years old, he wrote:
"Oh, there is, in contemplating Christ, a balm for every wound, in musing on the Father, there is a quiet for every grief; and in the influence of the Holy Spirit, there is a balm for every sore. Would you lose your sorrow? Would you drown your cares? Then go, plunge yourself in the Godhead's deepest sea; be lost in His immensity; and you shall come forth as from a couch of rest, refreshed and invigorated."
The time we spend meditating on God instead of our anxieties is time we'll never regret. It's a powerful antidote to the restlessness and fear that often plague our minds.
Jesus: The Living Word
Ultimately, the goal isn't just to know the Bible; it's to know the Lord of the Word – Jesus Christ. John 1:1-2, 14 tells us, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God... And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."
The written Word leads us to the incarnate Word, Jesus Christ. As we immerse ourselves in Scripture, we come into the presence of the living Word, experiencing His glory, love, grace, and truth firsthand.
A Practical Challenge
Here's a practical way to apply these truths: For every anxious thought you have, intentionally give five thoughts to Jesus. Instead of trying to overcome anxiety through sheer willpower, redirect your focus to Christ. Declare that He is your life, your Lord, your joy, and your peace.
No amount of information, health, success, money, or distractions can truly destroy anxiety's power in our lives. We may find temporary escape, but that's like removing the batteries from a smoke alarm – it doesn't address the underlying issue.
The only way to truly conquer anxiety is to confront it with the grace, glory, and truth of who Jesus is and who we are in Him. As we do this, we'll find our God-given identity growing stronger, gradually destroying anxiety's hold on our hearts and minds.
Let's take up this challenge: For every anxious thought, let's give five thoughts to Jesus. In doing so, we'll find the peace and rest our souls desperately crave.