The Anxious Christian

Last Sunday two of our shepherds presented a lesson to the congregation. The title of the sermon was, “The Anxious Christian.” I’ll admit, I didn’t know quite what to expect, as one of the shepherds is a licensed therapist, and the other is an attorney. I wasn’t sure if we were about to hear a factual account of why we shouldn’t be anxious, or if we were about to take part in group therapy! Thankfully, it was a combination of both.

Over the course of the past few days, I have had several conversations about the lesson with friends and family members. Most agree that one particular visual sticks out from the lesson. It was suggested that we envision ourselves at the edge of a canyon, holding a box containing whatever it is that we are anxious about. Then we were encouraged to take that box, lift it over our heads and heave it into the canyon. This illustration was used to show how we should give our worries to God. Obviously this is a Biblical principle. “Cast all of your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” (I Peter 5:7)

It sounds so simple, but I find it to be very difficult. I can only imagine that I am not alone in my personal struggle with turning my worries, issues, and anxiety upon God. I fully believe that God can take it all from me, and yet, somehow, I insist on holding on. Why?

This is going to kind of be a gross illustration, so if you don’t want to be grossed out, stop reading here. Okay, you have been warned…

From time to time, we all get the flu. It’s not fun, but it just part of life. We get sick. Many of us try very hard to stay away from illness. We exercise, eat right, take our vitamins, and get plenty of sleep. But, we still get sick in spite of all of the things that we do to keep from it. When a virus, (or other illness) gets a hold of us, our body rejects it because it knows that it is harmful. We usually start vomiting (among other things), until there is nothing left. Our bodies “HEAVE” whatever the problem is, because as long as it stays inside of us, it continues to do us harm. We may ultimately require medication to completely rid ourselves of whatever the ailment is, but we usually get better.

Anxiety and worry are spiritual illnesses. Even though many of us pray, study, and worship regularly, we still get sick. In the same way that we allow our bodies to fight the flu by “heaving,” we need to be willing to let God fight our spiritual illnesses by heaving our sickness onto Him. He is the great healer. He can take it all, and He wants to, but we have to willing to give it to Him. If we are willing to do that, we will get over it. If we aren’t it will eat away at us like a cancer.

So, how does one go about casting their anxieties upon God? I have already said that I find it to be very difficult. In fact, it is a HUGE struggle for me. But, I think there are a few things that we can do to help to make it easier.

1. Admit to ourselves and at least one other person that we can’t do it alone! No matter how together we think we are, and no matter how much control we think we have over ourselves, we all need God.
2. Admit to God that we need Him, and ask Him to take it.
3. Trust that God will take it!
4. Open your eyes to how God might be taking it from you. Sometimes He is working in ways that we refuse to see for some reason!
5. Repeat as necessary.
6. Repeat again.
7. Repeat again.


I am not a Bible scholar, nor am I good at following the instructions given above. But, I do know that they work! I think that the key is that as long as we feel “sick” we need to do whatever we can to “heave” it all, and give our sickness to the only One who can do anything about it.

I am thankful for Sunday’s lesson. It provoked a lot of thoughts and feelings for me. I was also thankful for the reminder of I Peter 5:7.