The good part of teaching is that I learn a lot about myself. The bad part of teaching is that I learn a lot about myself. This week's lesson in Woman's Study, for example, is all about me. I think that Jerry Bridges (in Respectable Sins) must have had access to my thoughts while he was writing his chapter on Anxiety, Worry, and Frustration. It might sound as though I am making light of this sinful behavior of mine, and in a sense perhaps I am. But that is exactly his point: anxiety seems to be one of those sins that we don't hesitate to confess to the world. I would never write on a blog that I was a liar or a thief, but somehow it's not all that 'embarrassing' to admit to being a worrier. The focus of this chapter is to expose that our anxieties are not just "normal" reactions to life events, but that they are indeed both sinful and serious:"We should never accept them as just part of our temperament any more than we would accept adultery as part of our temperament. Keep in mind that even though anxiety and frustration may not be as serious as adultery, they are still sins. And all sin is serious in the eyes of a Holy God."
Why is anxiety not just a reasonable reaction to bad situations in our lives? Why is anxiety sinful? Bridges outlines two basic reasons. The second will be the topic of tomorrow's post, but here is the first.
Bridges believes that anxiety is simply a distrust of God. In Matthew 5:25-26, the famous "birds of the air" and "lilies of the field" passage, God mentions anxiety six times. His prohibition of this behavior is not a suggestion, but a commandment. We are to bring our requests to God, and then leave the results to Him. As Bridges points out:
"When I give way to anxiety, I am, in effect, believing that God does not care for me and that He will not take care of me in the particular circumstance that triggers my anxiety of the moment."
Our Father loves us, and we can trust Him. If we would just repent of this sin of anxiety, we would not only be obeying God but relieving ourselves of great mental torment. Definitely a win-win situation. More on this tomorrow...
Another aspect of this can be found in Colossians 3. First we are instructed to "set our minds on things above". Then later we are commanded to "let the Peace of Christ rule in our hearts." This peace is given to us by Christ. It is also described as a fruit of the Spirit. It is not peace as the world see peace but surpasses all man's understanding. We have it, so have it.
ReplyDelete~Hur