Originally drafted early December 2015
The other day I had an inspired moment, and these words, “no anxiety allowed,” formed the last part of a brief passage I had been writing regarding some lifestyle growth.
Anxiety is, by and large, an important and loud voice in western society’s way of life. Games of the “what-ifs” make up decision-making processes in personal lives, families, schools, business and politics. A large proportion would struggle to know what to do about a decision if it weren’t for the “what-ifs.”
So when I had this “no anxiety allowed” moment the other day, realising that this is an unhelpful part of my personal process, I got to thinking. Initially, I simply began to recognise how frequently anxiety drives action: I will try to figure out how to offset the consequences of a certain “what-if,” I will research different scenarios to get me to the end goal of where I want to be, or think I should be. This of course, using nothing more than my own capabilities and personal resource.
There is an argument for this, a strong one: for achieving an end goal using only the resources available, without relying on the assistance of outside players. In fact, this kind of progress is considered by many to be the pinnacle of success in the developed world: how often do stories of success incorporate a narrative of the subject being self-made, of toiling tirelessly from nothing and coming out as something? This is an admired trait: the unwillingness to back down, despite adverse circumstances. This is a trait which forms the fabric of national development in countries like Australia and New Zealand: without an unwavering refusal to give up despite massive resource limitations, these countries would not have become what they are today.
The difficulty with this trait lies in the question of worldview: if one insists on being self-reliant as a matter of principle, could that betray a belief that one is on his own, or not worthy of assistance? Could it betray a belief that one does not, not ever, need help from any outside source, and is quite capable of being everything one could possibly need at all times?
Lets consider this with reference to a Christian bible worldview. The Christian bible asserts that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, gives man the very breath in his lungs [Genesis 2:7], and that not a single thing on this earth (which He created) happens without His permission [Job 12:9-25].
If that is the case, if the God of the Jewish nation claims to be the entire sustenance of man, if He claims to have ultimate wisdom, power and resource [Job 38], then that brings huge exposure to the value we place on self reliance. This would suggest that blind, unwavering self-reliance is, at its very core, an indication of a dis-belief in the assertions made by the bible. To follow that logic, the “what-if” game is also an expression of dis-belief that the God of the bible could actually be sovereign to care for the details.
But what are the other options? Is there an alternative? Anxious worrying seems like the only choice right?
No, not really.
If we follow the path of the Christian Worldview, as the bible expresses it, we see some important points, which should form our understanding. First is found in the very fabric of the Christian, and Jewish faiths: that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob created the entire world as we know it [Gen 1&2]. Following that, there is the law of Moses. Then, there are the prophets. Then there is the teaching of Jesus, the Christian Messiah.
In the creation of the world, we have an example of a God who is not simply familiar with the operation of some things. He is not simply an engineer who has studied blueprints and understands theoretical operational principles. He is the God who developed the entire system in detail, ensuring that each small part interacts as intended with all of the larger parts. He is the God who then took this and put it into action, breathing life into each part, to create an astonishingly complex and remarkable machine which, when operated to its specifications, perpetuates life.
This perspective alone should strongly influence how we approach concerns, details and questions. But this alone cannot complete our view point.
Next, we see the law of Moses. This part of Christian worldview incites controversy, frustration, anger, irritation. It is often only partially understood, and partially trusted. The apostle Paul goes as far as suggesting that it is powerless to actually bring life. Despite this assertion, it is still not only included in the Christian bible, but often insisted upon as very important. Let us consider the Law of Moses. The context of the law is found as a nation exits 400 years of slavery: 400 years following the rules of a foreign society whose system of deities and beliefs made almost anything potentially okay, if one could use the right argument for the right god. This nation, exiting 400 years of slavery suddenly found themselves free to set their own course, to decide for themselves how their society might function. They had very little clue of what it might be to develop an healthy nation. The God who delivered them from the oppression of Egypt had a few thoughts. He explained, through Moses, all that was necessary to function as a healthy society.
It must be acknowledged that a large portion of the law revolved around community religious practices. However, there is a strong argument that many of the laws were in fact simply designed to ensure the health of the nation both on personal and communal levels.
While at the time, few understood the health implications of laws around the transmission of unclean bodily fluids, modern science has shown us that these fluids, when dealt with without reference to hygiene, can cause the spread of sickness and disease. We understand the significant social damage done when families are broken apart by adultery, and we comprehend the implications on health for a family living in a damp home [Lev 14:33-50].
These few examples betray a wider pattern: a God whose desire was to teach a people how to live healthy, whole and functional: a model society.
The prophets dealt with the next aspect of Biblical worldview that is relevant to this discussion. A nation has become functional by this stage. They are being blessed, because of their obedience to the Law that their God presented. Just as He promised they would be [Duet 7:12-15].
The prophets’ argument though, is that the moment they became blessed, they began to forget the source of their blessings, and they assumed that they were blessed because of this idol, or that person’s amazing talent. The immediate reaction of the “people of God,” as the blessings became apparent, was to turn from He who blessed them, and place their trust in themselves, or the things around them. We can see from the words of the prophets that the intention of this God of the bible was to remind His people of the true source of their success, and to invite them to return to their faith in Him, to rebuild their society into something formidably successful in both man’s eyes, and His eyes.
This appears to be a God who, in spite of the pride of His people, in spite of their insistence on self (or idol) reliance, was willing to keep on caring for them.
Which draws us to the introduction of Jesus, the man who some referred to as a drunk [Matt 11:19] and others as a messiah [Matt 16:15-16]. A man of questionable progeny, who trained as a tradesman, and spent his adult life associating with both the least desirable people in the society and those who considered themselves most holy and worthy of honour. A figure whose defining moment required Him to be slaughtered in the same fashion as murderers and thieves, for no greater sin than challenging the “holiest” people to live what they claimed to believe [Luke 11:37-53]. In the Christian worldview, the belief goes that this was God’s expression of a deep desire to redeem His people. The goal being to send a sign of great worth, that would inspire them to turn their hearts, minds and lives back to a strong faith in Him, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob [Matt 21:33-46]. Jesus made many comments on the importance of fixing hearts and minds on the King of the Heavens, and of following His teachings to love and care for the least and lowest in society [Matt 22:37-40]. He argued that “salvation” and favour with God would not be found in how holy one looked, but how obedient one was to the principles of a loving, merciful God [Matt9:13; Matt12:7]. How one cared for the widows, orphans and homeless was paramount in Jesus teaching, and a significant (but incomplete) indicator of a heart of faith in God [Matt 25:31-46].
Along with exhorting those who claimed to be following the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to act accordingly, with a heart of love, Jesus also encouraged that God’s heart of love did not stop at caring for the “small people.”
This brings us to the important point.
Jesus’ exhortation, that those who follow the creator of the heavens and the earth must not worry about what to eat or wear, but should seek first the Kingdom of God. His promise was: that which we actually need would be provided when we really placed our entire trust in the Father of lights [Matt 6:25-34].
So in view of all of this, in view of a creator king, a king whose wisdom taught a nation what success really looked like, a king whose patience and mercy underwrites an entire faith system, we have a simple encouragement.
The biblical worldview, when it comes to anxiety, can be summarised by this one phrase: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” [Phil 4:6-7]
This is my challenge today: will I, in spite of circumstances not understood, insist on trusting in the Lord of the Heavens, rather than my own resourcefulness? When I do that, what could that look like?
What anxiety are you carrying with you today? What could be the outcome of releasing that to God in prayer today?
[The application of this viewpoint is fuel for an additional narrative, but I suggest that this does not mean that we stop acting on what must be done; that in the face of anxiety or lack of clarity we relax and listen for the peace of God, allowing His sovereign viewpoint to guide our actions.]
Read the next instalment: No anxiety allowed – applied