The Old Lands OTS 3.0

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When a Christian struggles with anxiety, what is he or she to do?
I. Avoidance
One possible response is avoidance. When the Israelites were called into battle, the priest was commanded to ask any who were afraid to go home. Why? Lest the fear of one in battle spread fear to others. To avoid a very difficult situation was to be considerate of others who might be negatively affected.
Is it wise for an anxious and brand new driver to start practice on the fastest and busiest road? Is that a show of bravery? No, sometimes our anxiety is well placed. Sometimes avoidance is the best choice.
But as you realize, avoidance of responsibility and avoidance of things we can reasonably handle are common faults driven by fear. We may avoid a job interview out of fear of rejection or avoid letting a child grow up out of fear of losing the child's presence in our home. We may avoid roof repair out of the fear of the cost or avoid going to a doctor out of fear of a possible diagnosis.
II. Doing It Anyway
Most people are anxious before and during a public speaking engagement, but they do it anyway. Sometimes it is okay to take the plunge while you are a little anxious. Normal people do everyday. You get on the plane, you talk to the angry customer, you take the exam, whatever.
In some of those cases, doing it anyway helps you work through the next time. Action becomes a kind of anxiety therapy. At other times, your anxiety may build because you "did it anyway," and the results were bad. What then?
III. Where Is Your Faith?
Here is often where the wrong sort of avoidance behavior gets started. And here is one place where the "fear of man" may prove "to be a snare" (Proverbs 29:25a). When the short run looks bleak, ask yourself what you believe about the long run.
At root as a Christian, however, it is not your faith in yourself that matters most or is most satisfying. Especially if life has beaten you down, big questions become pressing like "Does God really have my best interest in mind" and "Is God really good?"
Is that not what a whole lot of anxiety and worry really means? If I worry about my future finances, am I not believing that God will NOT provide for me? If I am afraid my spouse will leave me, am I not also saying God is not enough? If I am anxious because of a number of possible "what if's," what am I saying about God's wisdom and power and goodness?
Granted, such things sound harsh, and maybe in some sense they are. After all, Christians do lose homes, spouses, health, friendships, jobs, family members, and so on. None of such things is easy.
But do you believe God for the "what if's"? Do you believe that in the midst of suffering, nothing can separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus your Lord (see Romans 8:38-39), if He truly is your Lord? Do you believe God will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear (1 Corinthians 10:13b)? Do you believe the Father sent His only Son because He loved you?
IV. Getting Help
If we believe God is good and good to us, if we trust Him through good times and bad,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], then we will pray for what God thinks is best and pray for deliverance from our fears.
And we will realize that God has placed means at our disposal to carry out our responsibilities and our good. That is one purpose of a good church, sympathetic family members, professional counselors, and so on.
If you are a Christian with anxiety, get help. Or more seriously, if you are a Christian with an anxiety disorder, get help. Who knows but that God may have placed drugs, nutritional supplements, friends, life circumstances, these comments, and so on at your disposal for your good? Your brain or body may have systems out of tune, perhaps doctors or methods may put them back.