Introduction : When a house or a building is on fire, its smoke is more horrible than the fire itself. In most cases, there are many victims who are suffocated by the smoke. For humankind, anxiety, concern, worry, and uneasiness bring destruction to the mind itself, rather than being actual heavy burdens and trouble. Some people do not overcome anxiety and concern, and they commit suicide because they have trouble with economic distress in their life and business. Then, what should we do with these concerns and worries?
1. Concern and worry are utterly destructive. 1) Concern and worry have no power to change our environment. (1) Anxiety does not remove trouble, old age, sickness, or death. - Buddhists try to transcend them (Job 5:7, Pr 14:13) (2) Anxiety cannot add a single inch to our height or make our hair gray or black (Mt 6:27, 5:36). (3) Regardless of anxiety, things will happen or not happen. - 95% of our worries do not happen, and we can´t help it even when 5% of them happen. 2) Concern and worry are destructive to the mind. (1) They bring despair and mental despondency (Pr 15:13). (2) They bring serious physical stress (Pr 17:22). (3) They eliminate peace and positive thoughts, and bring misfortune and relation- ship problems to our home (Pr 12:25).
2. In order to overcome anxiety. 1) We need one on whom we can cast our anxiety - faith (Ps 127:1-2) 2) He should be capable of taking charge of our anxiety (Isa 40:27-31). 3) He should want to take charge of our anxiety (Mt 11:28-30, 1Pe 5:7). 4) Jesus has borne all our burdens (Isa 53:4, Ps 68:19, Jn16:33).
3. Cast your anxiety upon the Lord. 1) By prayer and asking: (La 3:33, Jer 29:11-13) (1) Clearly (Ps 55:22, Mk 11:23, Jas 1:6). (2) Simply Eph 6:18, Ro 12:12, Jas 5:13). (3) Fervently (Jer 33:3, Ps 142:1, 1sa 1:10). (4) Patiently (Heb 10:36,-38, Lk 18:7). (5) With faith (Mk 11:24, Mt 15:28). 2) Giving thanks is a shield against anxiety (Ps 50:23, 1 Th 5:16-18, Mt 6:31-34). 3) We should cast our anxiety upon God completely until we have peace in our heart (Ps 37:5-6, 121:1-2). - God crosses over the deep river carrying us on His back, and walks through the desert holding us in His hands (Ex 19;4, Isa 46:4).
Conclusion : Since anxiety is like a small live coal, it will burn up a house unless we quench it quickly. It devastates our mind, takes away joy and vitality in life, destroys our environment, and makes many people unhappy (Php 4:4-7).
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