[Steve Myers] What do you worry about? The other day I was reading an article and it spoke about anxiety disorders. And it said that they are the most common mental illness in the United States today. Panic attacks – stress episodes that are so intense, or intense fear – these kinds of anxiety attacks are feelings that weigh people down, and they have the sense that maybe something terrible is about to happen. So we're not talking just about being stressful, or being nervous, or something like that, but this is something that's very serious – and so serious that it's becoming a bigger and bigger problem. In fact, if you can think back a few years ago, you may have never even heard of an anxiety attack or a panic attack. And yet today it is prevalent. What do you do about it?
Well, certainly one thing we can do is look to God's word. We can control the panic that sometimes overtakes us, especially if we can change our perspective. Peter talked about that in 1 Peter 5:7. It says, "Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you." Or some translations say, "Cast your cares on Him" or your worries, another translation says. In fact, one translation even says "Cast your busyness on Him". So maybe we're not having a panic attack but maybe we are so busy that we've got to put that on Him. In fact, it means to throw it on Him, or give it over to Him, or turn it over to God. And not just some of the panic, not just some of the worry, not just some of the troubles or the cares – Peter says all. Put it all on God. Pray to God. Develop that relationship with God so that you can talk to Him about everything and anything and all of those things. Because Peter's reminding us there is hope. There's hope. We don't have to carry that burden or that fear or anxiety or panic all of ourselves.
In fact, Paul wrote to the Philippians a similar type of thought in chapter 4, beginning in verse 6. He says, "Don't worry about anything" – boy, there's a job that we have to work at. But the New Living Translation says just that – "Don't worry about anything. Instead, pray about everything." And isn't that at least a vital first step that we can take to be able to overcome anxiety? He goes on to say in verse 7, "Tell God what you need. Thank Him for all He's done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7).
You see, so instead of allowing the panic or the anxiety, the worries or troubles to pierce through and overwhelm you, Paul reminds us that peace can guard us and protect us and stand watch over us because we have this close relationship with God. So let's do that very thing. Let's go to God. Let's cast all the anxiety and the worries and the troubles on Him, and He says He'll grant us peace – a peace that surpasses understanding.
