Anxiety? Is it bad?

Anxiety.... Is it bad?

Anxiety resembles a burdensome weight that we are not meant to shoulder. It’s as if the heart is desperately pleading, “I’m bearing a heavier load than I can manage. This strain is becoming too much; I cannot endure it any longer!” Have you ever felt that way? I certainly have. It’s painful to endure, and it can make you feel like giving up.

The world we live in is broken. We try to handle every situation ourselves. Our minds cannot handle this kind of stress. You may ask yourselves, Where is God in all of this?

God is always there. He said in Galatians 6 that we are to bear one another's burdens. That means let God and others help you through such pain that is eating you up inside.

God also said in I Peter 5:7, "Cast all your anxiety on him, becasue he cares for you." This means to give your worries, anxieties, and burdens to God through prayer and trust, believing that God will carry them for you which will give you peace in your heart.

But the presence of anxiety does NOT mean the absence of faith. It means you’re human, not a machine.

Did you know the Bible speaks of people who have gone through anxiety? You are not alone! People like King David whom God loved so much faced anxiety, Elijah who collapsed in despair, Paul in the New Testament confessed that the burdens he was holding onto was beyond his strength, and yes, even Jesus Christ while in the Garden of Gethsemane experienced sweating drops of blood.

Where does anxiety stem from?

• Fear of the future

• Fear of failure

• Fear of being alone

• Chronic stress and exhaustion

• Spiritual disconnection

• Old wounds that never healed

Anxiety itself is not sin, but it is a burden. It signals something inside is not aligned with peace. It becomes harmful when it rules us—but not when it simply knocks on the door.

Say it plainly: Anxiety is a foe to fight, not a failure to hide.

My friend, YOU are not alone. God loves you and wants a personal relationship with you. Cast all your anxieties on Him. Let God give you the peace that passes all understanding.

Blessings,

Dr. Russ Steel