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Found: Antidote for Anxiety
by Ken Hope
Is our title too good to be true?
Not at all! In fact,
I am overjoyed to report that a successful antidote for worry and
anxiety has been discovered.
If your physician told you what to do to overwhelm and overcome anxiety,
would you do it? Certainly
you would! Well, the great
physician, Jesus Christ has given us a prescription that will result in
a worry free existence. How
would you like to live a worry free life?
How would you like debilitating anxiety to be a thing of the
past? How would you like to
learn a better way of dealing with your cares instead of being
constantly burdened with them?
Since Jesus
taught us not to worry (Matt.
6:24-34), we must be very careful not to view His prohibition as an
impossibility (1
Jn. 5:3). Difficult
yes, but not impossible.
From the context of
Matthew 6, let’s consider what Jesus said about worry, anxiety, and cares.
First, Jesus taught that worry was strictly prohibited (6:25,
31, 34). Second, our
Lord taught that worry was cruel (6:26).
Third, the Master Teacher declared worry to be altogether
futile (6:27). Fourth, He
taught that worry constituted faithlessness (6:28-30). Fifth, Christ continued
to teach that worry was heathenish (6:31-32a).
Sixth, Jesus revealed that worry was absolutely unnecessary
(6:32b-33). Seventh, the
great physician reminded mankind that worry is simply borrowing
trouble from the future (6:34). Then, in a
stroke of genius with a very unexpected twist, Jesus revealed the cure
for cares and the antidote for anxiety.
The convoluted wisdom of man notwithstanding, Jesus taught that
the cure for
worry
is
work
within His kingdom (6:33)! Yes, God’s
remedy for
anxiety
has always been
action (Prov. 14:23; Eccl. 9:10).
The following
observations, if added to our Lord’s instruction in
Matthew 6, are sure to help us win over worry, conquer our cares, and annihilate
anxiety!
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Cultivate a deep abiding trust in God.
(Prov.
3:5; Jer. 17:7; Acts 27:25)
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Let the Lord carry your daily burdens.
(Ps.
55:22; 68:19; 1 Pet. 5:7)
-
Forget the past. (Phil.
3:13-14; Rom. 6:3-4, 21; Heb. 8:12)
-
Live one day at a time.
(Prov.
27:1; Ps. 118:24; Matt. 6:34)
-
Learn to be content. (Phil.
4:11; 1 Tim. 6:7-8; Heb. 13:5-6)
-
Get involved in the Lord’s work.
(Matt.
6:33; Neh. 2:5; 4:6; 1 Cor. 15:58)
-
Make certain
about your calling and election.
(2 Pet.
1:10; Acts 2:40-41)
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