The Divine Way Through Anxiousness

“Strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things [that you worry about] will be given to you as well.”

— Matthew 6:33 (NRSV [added])

The way through anxiousness is to keep putting God first!

When we put God first we’ve got nothing to lose. This is because God always wins and when we are on the divine side we stand to win, too. We know this is true by the experiences of our faith. When we were steadfast in our belief in God we pulled through.

As we continue on, by putting God first each step of the way as best we can, what is added to us are the gifts of God—those very things we worry about.

Surviving Our Tests of Faith

When words are not enough,

And actions must be made,

When the going gets tough,

History’s road is laid.

Tests of faith test our mettle,

In the conditions of trust,

Before things can settle,

These are things to do, we must.

When there’s no way over but through,

And things are tough enough they squeeze,

Our prayer is simply to hold true,

Better than ever on our knees!

So when expectations are to perform,

To the standard of the test,

Rising to that norm,

Is necessary before we rest.

Our tests of faith—those situations where we must keep putting God first—are the opportunities of blessing, through which we are to overcome our situational anxiousness.

Getting Beyond Worry and Stress

Worry and stress are a waste,

Put them away with haste,

Develop with God a thirst,

So as to always put him first.

When God’s number one,

Under the sun,

By the way we think and act,

We can afford to have our hope,

Because it comes to be exact.

The way through anxiousness is to keep putting God first!

When we take Matthew 6:33 seriously—a beautifully centralising Scripture highlighting an intent to follow and abide in the will of God—all the things we worry about are put in their true context. Putting God first, and not our concerns, is the key to overcoming anxiousness.

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The way through anxiousness is to keep putting God first.

© 2012 S. J. Wickham.

Postscript: I want to make a distinction between anxiousness and anxiety disorders. This article targets anxiousness we all face; that which is alleviated by faith, in putting God first. Anxiety disorders are an entirely different matter and the people who suffer them deserve our respect, without oversimplifying their dilemmas. My hope is to not attempt to make simple what is never simple.