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Anxious About Everything

Recap

In part one, we talked about how much of my life is taken up with worrying about everything possible. As a Christian, I've resigned myself to the fact that my worries really aren't justifiable. In the first part of this article, we explored a bit about the nihilist worldview and how it would most likely help me support my anxiety habit. I still have not solved my problem. Let's see what the Christian worldview has to say.

It's All Under Control

One of the basic tenets of Christian theism states that, among many other things, God is immanent and sovereign. If God is immanent, He is with us at all times, and if He is sovereign, He is in complete control of everything. But what about Satan and evil and the outcome of the Super Bowl? Is God in control of those things? I'm so glad you asked!

Here's the deal. There is a distinction between God's active control and His passive control. In His sovereignty, God created the world, intervened for Israel, and made the blind see. However, also in His sovereignty, He has allowed His creation to make choices. So when Satan decided to bail on God, the Lord did not cause it, but He did allow it. (It's that little term we've coined, "free will.") Satan chose to fall from grace, and God's sovereignty allowed for him to do so.

While He is in control of all things and could decide to karate chop the devil at this very moment, for the time being, God allows Satan to be active in this world. (And no worries, God will thwart Satan before it's all said and done. When it happens, it'll be even cooler than Carman's, The Champion. That's right. Cooler.)

Anyway, God's in charge, so the events in life that give us cause to worry are part of His plan. If you're about to graduate and haven't received one call back about any of the 19,000 resumes you sent out to potential employers, God hasn't forgotten you. If the guy you like knocks you down in his hurry to open the door for your gorgeous best friend, God sees it. He knows how you feel. Although we cannot understand it, He's got a reason for the circumstances of your situation. It may be hard and uncomfortable, but He's got it worked out. It's all good.

Pontius Primate ¹

Christian theism also claims that the universe operates with cause and effect in an open system. Therefore, God can step in and effect change in the world at any time. As stated before, God often allows the world to operate as a result of our choices due to His passive control. But He could intervene if He chose to. The things that you worry about can easily be remedied with a snap of the fingers if God chooses to do so.

One of the most comforting aspects of Christian theism is that God has revealed himself to humans through general revelation (creation) and special revelation (the Bible). Therefore, Scripture reveals God's nature to us. The Bible is repetitious in proclaiming that God is in control, that He does what pleases Him, and that He alone holds all authority in heaven and earth.

Remember when Jesus was on trial before Pilate? Jesus is there in chains, beaten and bloody. Pilate whispers to him, "Don't you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?" (John 19:10, NIV). Jesus answers him, "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above" (verse 11). Booya!

Listen up ... God is in control! Pilate's authority was given to him by God. He could take it away and give it to a monkey if He wanted to. God is that awesome. If we believe what the Bible says about God's authority, there's no need for worry.

What the Dickens?

So we've demonstrated that the Christian worldview doesn't coincide with worry. Good to know. Difficult to put into practice.

I was on a women's retreat once, and my friend Kelly Geer gave an amazing talk about God's faithfulness. It helped show me that God can be trusted. Below is part of what Kelly shared about God's ability and our responsibility to Him.

In 1 Samuel 7, the Israelites are busy fighting their arch enemies, the Philistines. Listen to what God did to help His people out. "While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to engage Israel in battle. But that day the LORD thundered with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic that they were routed before the Israelites" (verse 10).

Did you catch that? God thundered and rescued the Israelites from a group of people they had been battling for years. Your battle, no matter how long you've struggled with it, and no matter what it is — worry, fear, depression, etc. — is not too difficult for God to defeat.

"Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, 'Thus far has the LORD helped us'" (verse 12). Ebenezer means "stone of help." Samuel set that rock on the road so that every time an Israelite passed it, he would remember that God had helped them defeat the Philistines that day.

Remembering how God has been faithful in the past is a huge reminder that we need not worry. Look back over your life. There have been extremely difficult times, but you're still here. The Lord has brought you through. Thus far He has been good to you. There is no reason not to trust Him. He has proved himself faithful over and over.

After I heard Kelly speak, I got some river stones and put them in a vase, in order to symbolize God's help throughout my life. When I see them, I remember the things that God has accomplished for me. Although life is difficult, and worry seeps in quickly, God reminds me that He has been good to me. I can trust Him.

Hakuna Matata

The reasons that worry is not compatible with the Christian worldview are obvious. If we truly believe what God says about himself in the Bible then we have no justification for fretting.

However, sometimes it is easy to know the truth about something and very difficult to put it into practice. That is where you must begin to consciously remind yourself of the truth. When worry begins to burrow its way into your mind, remember that God is faithful and already has everything under control. He loves you, and will not abandon the good work He has begun in you.

So, in the words of Bob Marley, "Don't worry about a thing. Every little thing is gonna be all right." Hey, it takes the burden away from you. No worries.