Anxiety

I have an anxious mind that is both incredibly active and imaginative. It’s the kind of mind that isn’t really welcomed around the flickering glow of a campfire while others lay prostrate in their sleeping bags telling ghost stories in the velvet darkness. If I were some kind of clunky old car my active imagination would carelessly stall me out somewhere along Anxiety Lane. Once I rolled crooked against the curb, with all my windows down, worry would begin filling me up faster than water through a screen door on a submarine.

I have an anxious mind that is both incredibly active and imaginative. It’s the kind of mind that isn’t really welcomed around the flickering glow of a campfire while others lay prostrate in their sleeping bags telling ghost stories in the velvet darkness. If I were some kind of clunky old car my active imagination would carelessly stall me out somewhere along Anxiety Lane. Once I rolled crooked against the curb, with all my windows down, worry would begin filling me up faster than water through a screen door on a submarine.

It’s actually really strange what my mind can conjure up. Like worrying about the tiny particles I see floating in brilliantly lit rays of sunlight that stream in through my window and then wondering how my body will get them out of my lungs once I breathe them in. Finding a parking ticket on my windshield or when another unwelcomed friend panic, unexpectedly arrives in the form of a letter from the IRS in my mailbox usually makes me anxious.

 The facts that time is slowing down, our sun will eventually burn out and explode or that my 60th birthday is right around the corner also contributes to the rising levels of adrenalin in my blood stream. On a different note, which is slightly less disturbing but equally annoying, is why a certain brand of bagels will last for weeks on the kitchen counter, end up in the chicken coop, be ignored by the poultry and six months later look as fresh as they did on the day they were bought?

However, at the top of my list and ranking as the quintessential question of the 20th century is where did all the radiation from thousands of nuclear test explosions eventually end up? Today this same pseudo-scientific, industrial military complex continues to experiment with weather modification through geo-engineering and other hap haphazardly thought out endeavors, that by the way, they say are for our own good.

 I’m being comical of course but the fact is that worrying about these things will not add one day to our lives but ultimately put us into an early grave. “And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.” Luke: 12:22-29.

So we must keep our eyes on Jesus Christ and His coming kingdom knowing that His kingdom is not of this world. Our hope is in eternal life with our God; looking forward to a time when we shed our mortality and are finally clothed with immortality. It will be a time of great rejoicing where the sensation of time passing will cease altogether and death will be swallowed up by life. No more crying, no more pain or suffering when we are welcomed into a new kingdom that will never end.

Many people living in this world system demand proof that God exists but we walk by faith not by sight. Faith believes in things unseen, like believing in the existence of wind where we can’t see it but can witness its influence on the trees around us. So is the sealing and indwelling of the Holy Spirit in each new believer’s heart. “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.” Ephesians: 1:13. 

Today we are living in an age where unseen forces are battling for the souls of men as our flesh continues to war against the Spirit. Therefore, we must all regularly examine ourselves to see if we imitate the works of the flesh or produce fruit from the Spirit. The works of the flesh are evident: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness and revelries. However, the fruit of the Spirit is: love, joy, peace longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” Philippians: 4:6.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy then think about and meditate on these things.