“Have Faith with Your Anxiety” || Anxiety in Anxious Times || Week 3

Welcome to week three of our “Anxiety in Anxious Times” sermon series! In case you missed the last two posts, this series is about how we can deal with our own anxiety during times of anxiousness in the world. For context, this series is being written during the COVID-19 pandemic. So, yes, there’s a lot of anxiety flowing about. My goal is to use this series to help you with your anxiety with scripture and personal testimony. This week, we dive into just one scripture – Hebrews 11:1 – to see how this unknown author links faith and anxiety. Let’s start this week’s message entitled, “Have Faith with Your Anxiety”.

Hebrews 11:1 says: “Faith is what makes real the things we hope for. It is proof of what we cannot see.” It’s interesting that it doesn’t talk about anxiety or anxiousness explicitly, or does it? Anxiety can make us “what-if” things to the nth degree. “What if I don’t get the job?” “What if I don’t get married” “What if I lose my family?” There are plenty of things that we overthink to the point where our world turns to chaos. We obviously hope that the chaos we overthink doesn’t come true. At least I hope that’s how we view the overthought chaos. This is where faith, and this Scripture, comes in. Faith keeps us believing that amidst all the chaos, God is working for us and not against. God doesn’t wish the chaos upon you nor does he cause it. If you’re suffering, then He’s suffering. If you’re upset, then He’s upset. If you’re depressed, then He’s depressed. He walks with us through the dark times. He can get us out as well. It takes some trust and release of control. I know it’s hard to lift your hands up and say, “Lord, I can’t do this anymore. Help me. Guide me. I trust you to end the chaos. I will have faith in Your word, Your timing, and Your action.” That release can lift the weight you are carrying. That release can help you breathe easier. This problem is no longer yours to worry about. You gave it to God to handle. You need to go and feel free of the burden. Have faith that God will take care of things.

That’s one of the biggest things I have had time to think about over the past 6 weeks. I am a control freak. I need to have control over what I do, how I do it, and more. Obviously, with the pandemic going on, there’s not a lot I can control. I can’t control how it spreads. I can’t control how many people are sick. I can’t control what’s being closed because of the virus. I can’t control how many people are vulnerable to the virus. I CAN control though how I view the situation. While we had to close down the church, I’ve still been able to do ministry work over the past couple of months. While I am not working as much, I’ve been able to work on projects that I’ve wanted to do. While I can’t go anymore, I’ve been able to spend more time with my family. While I can’t continue life, I have been able to re-evaluate parts of my life. I can control how I view the situation. I have faith that things will calm down. I have faith that we will be able to resume life soon. I have faith that churches will open back up. I have faith that I can go back to work normally soon. I have faith that God will beat this virus. I have faith in God. Having faith is the one thing I have control over. All it involves is letting God be God and letting me be me. Simple enough.

This was a shorter message I know, but stay tuned for the series finale next week! Stay blessed!