Anxiety and Worry

Do you remember the first time you flew on an airplane? Flying filled me with wonder and excitement when I was a kid. I just loved to sit by the window and watch the earth recede before my eyes as we soared into the clouds. What a thrill to feel the powerful jet engines kick into high gear and press my body into the seat! The thrill of air travel felt almost as wonderful as duck hunting.

These days I worry about everything when I fly. My anxiety starts at the security line. You know the drill. You have to take off your belt, shoes, and coat, and dump everything out of your pockets into a plastic bin. Then you have to take your laptop out of your bag while a security guard barks instructions at you about what is and what is not permitted in a carry-on bag — and the whole time you’re worrying over whether or not your stuff will be accidentally taken by someone else who gets through the body scanner before you do (and don’t get me started on the body scanner!). When you’re finally cleared for entrance, you worry over whether or not you can stuff your feet back in your shoes, get your coat and belt back on, gather everything else up, and still get to your gate on time. Once on board, the flight attendant cheerfully mimes the emergency procedures you’re meant to feel soothed by if the plane plummets to the earth in a ball of fire.

Isn’t it amazing how drastically our wonderment can turn into worry?

We can go to the same extreme transformation from wonderment to worry in our spiritual life. As a new Christian, I felt the burden of my sin fall away and I marveled at the wonderful free gift of eternal life in Jesus. I rejoiced that God had great things in store for me—both now and in heaven—despite the stupid things I had done.

However, as I got older, if I wasn’t careful, I found myself taking my eyes off Jesus and instead giving into worries about performing well at my job, paying the bills, supporting my family . . . the list goes on and on, doesn’t it?

The good news is that once you place your faith in Jesus Christ, God becomes your provider. You have a Savior who can free you from all worry. A savior is one who brings deliverance. And our Savior is the great physician who heals our hearts from the sickness of sin. He’s the victorious conqueror who has defeated our enemies—sin, death, Satan, and hell — by dying on the cross and rising victorious. This same Savior has the power to remove your worries when you cast “all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).

Taken from The Duck Commander Faith and Family Bible