“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God”

This is the third principle for untangling broken relationships. The first principle is to orient to the Lord—”Rejoice in the Lord.” The second principle is the principle of deference—“Let your gentleness be known to all men.” Now we come to the third principle for resolving deep hurts among people.

“Be anxious for nothing”

Anxiety is the source of much conflict in our lives. If we feel insecure about ourselves, we warp our relationships with others. All of us retain vulnerable areas about which we like to worry. If someone steps into that area, a strong possibility of conflict exists.

Every once in a while, we encounter someone who will snap at us and say, “Oh, excuse me, I am not myself.” That means they hold an attitude full of anxiety. When we carry around an attitude full of anxiety, we admit a strong potential for conflict into our soul. When we succumb to the temptation to worry, we bite off the nearest person’s head.

Anxiety is a form of fear. It is the fear of being placed in suspension between two points. Anxiety is apprehension or worry about what may happen, either good or bad. We do not know if the good will come about. We do not know if the bad will occur. We hang in uncertainty as we suspend between the good and the bad. This is anxiety, the fear of uncertainty. Some people would rather encounter a bad predicament than being suspended in insecurity. Uncertainty to them is the worst of all bad things that could happen, and security is the core value above all else.

Anxiety is a sin because it demonstrates a lack of confidence in the sovereignty of God to deal with our concerns. It is only after we tie ourselves in knots that we realize apprehension is sin. It is a besetting sin to some Christians. It enfeebles the soul. It ruffles the temper. It is a manifestation of mistrust. It distracts from communion with God.

The words “be anxious for nothing” convey three ideas in the original language.

It is a command. It is our responsibility by our volition not to enter into anxiety.

We are to regularly use our will not to allow fear of uncertainty to envelop us. We are to stop the habit of constantly worrying.

Anxiety fear is unacceptable because it fails to place confidence in God about the uncertainties of life. There is no reason for a child of God to worry because God manages his life.

Principle:

Carking care betrays a lack of confidence in God.

Application:

Confidence in God displaces insecurity. The sin of anxiety closely connects to a lack of confidence in God. The more we accept God’s sovereign hand upon the uncertainties of life, the less apprehensive we are about life. We are less insecure. An insecure person is vulnerable to what others think about them. Security in God’s plan for us gives us independence from what others think about us. Do you worry about the tense relationships in your life? Have you placed problem people in the hands of God? At least you have dealt with one half of the problem—yourself.