Freedom from Anxiety

In 1966, the Rolling Stones hit western shores for their fifth American tour, bringing with them a little ditty, Mother's Little Helper. 

"Kids are different today"
I hear ev'ry mother say
Mother needs something today to calm her down
And though she's not really ill
There's a little yellow pill
She goes running for the shelter of a mother's little helper
And it helps her on her way, gets her through her busy day

The lyrics escalate Mother's use of pharmaceuticals to abuse and, eventually, death. Somehow the mothers of the '60s were finding it impossible to deal with "modern" life. More than half a century later, is it any better? Life "improved" through conveniences like the internet and AI and same-day delivery and groceries selected and loaded for you into the back of your high-end SUV has somehow driven more Americans to anxiety and chemicals to manage it. So, what gives? Well, check this out:  

I acknowledge my guilt; I am anxious because of my sin. ~ Psalm 38:19 CJB

Anxious because of sin. Hmm... The New American Standard renders the same verse:  

For I admit my guilt; I am full of anxiety because of my sin.

Yoga and meditation have taken the place of prayer and Bible reading in schools to help students with stress. "Mindfulness" and "breathwork" are ubiquitous terms for librarians, healthcare professionals, and influencers. As our world becomes more independent of God --out of touch with His nature, His balance, His simplicity --everyone and their second cousin has anxiety. And the methods used to mitigate it are not curing anything. Snippets of Eastern religions and medical marijuana are, at best, temporary elixirs; at worst, they are idol worship and the dumbing down of American society. That may seem a bit harsh, but anything that exalts itself against the knowledge of God or causes one not to think soberly is not for the child of God.  

So, how can sin be the cause of anxiety? First, let's define anxiety. Psychology Today says:

Anxiety is both a mental and physical state of negative expectation. Mentally it is characterized by increased arousal and apprehension tortured into distressing worry, and physically by unpleasant activation of multiple body systems—all to facilitate response to an unknown danger, whether real or imagined.

The cognitive feelings of dread in anticipation of some bad outcome, and physical sensations such as jitteriness and a racing heart are designed for discomfort. Anxiety is meant to capture attention and stimulate you to make necessary changes to protect what you care about. Occasional bouts of anxiety are natural and can even be productive. ...But persistent, pervasive, or outsize anxiety can disrupt daily life, whether at school, work, or with friends—the mark of an anxiety disorder.

Dread of   (fill in the blank)  ; judgment, ineptitude, rejection, abandonment, isolation, small spaces, or perhaps, nothing at all. A provoked, limited reaction is not wrong: its purpose is to motivate us to change. If we feel anxious as we walk down a dark alley at night, we seek a well-lit path. If we feel anxious about a test, we study harder. But being full of anxiety --the persistent, pervasive, or disproportionate reaction --is different. 

If Scripture says anxiety's true cause is sin, we have to ask, What sin? 

How about a failure to observe Sabbath rest? Back to all of those modern conveniences. What about the unending influx of information, constant visual stimulation and recurring soundbites as close as our fingers? In Mark 2:27, Jesus declares, The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Rest and time spent in God's presence is His gift to each of us. 

How about the sin of self-sufficiency? We are finite, not meant to know everything or do everything; putting that sort of pressure on ourselves is unreasonable and the cause of much anxiety. 

Neglecting the spiritual disciplines (reading God's Word, prayer, fasting, giving, serving, etc.). These are activities given to us to move us toward sanctification by the Spirit and equip us to do the work God has planned for us on earth. Without proper equipping, we will struggle to do what we are not meant to do on our own. Anxiety is the result. 

Other sins --self-sufficiency, pride, doubt, isolation, idolatry, fear, doubt, worry --separate us from the protection and provision of an infinite, almighty God. We were not made to be separated from Him. Being separated from Peace, Joy, Love, and Providence in a world as large and dark as this is like being a sheep (sans Shepherd) among wolves. The cause of extreme anxiety.

Jesus came that our joy may be full. We are not meant to be full of anxiety. I have a dear friend who goes through season after season of depression and anxious thoughts. From time to time, he clears out his friends' list on social media, makes a new commitment to himself or finds a new girlfriend. He usually feels pretty good for a couple of weeks, but his lifestyle never changes. He does not live according to God's Word, but lives only for his own pleasures. At some point, anxiety rears its ugly head once more. Wash.Rinse.Repeat. It breaks my heart. But he wants nothing to do with God, and this is the result. 

I don't mean to say that there are not physiological causes and medication is never necessary; sometimes it is. Sometimes great trauma has rewired the brain to respond to stimuli of which the person is unaware or doesn't even understand. But if one has not tried the most basic of solutions --a life lived in congruence with the precepts of one's very Creator --what can Mother's Little Helper accomplish? Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life --a life lived without anxiety and without slavery to sin.