Anxiety – Psalm 108:7–13
How do you avoid anxiety?
You may be very familiar with Philippians 4:6, “Be careful [anxious] for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” However, avoiding anxiety is not just a mental exercise because it involves the emotions.
A great help in avoiding anxiety is to remember that God is in control of all things. “God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice” (v. 7). Some of the reasons for God’s rejoicing are: “I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth. Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the strength of mine head; . . . over Edom will I cast out my shoe” (vv. 7–9). In other words, God controls all nations. He sets up rulers, and He tears them down.
David then asks, “Who will bring me into the strong city [the place of safety]?” (v. 10). God is the One who cares for you. If He does not get anxious, then neither should you!
Remember that His care for you is not based upon your faithfulness or good works. It is based upon His love for you. God loves you so much that you can freely cry out to Him and ask, “Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man” (v. 12). It is important to have good relationships with friends, but they are sometimes unable to help. They also need help.
The best help for avoiding anxiety is to decide in whom you put your trust. If you are trusting God to work out what is best for you in every situation of your life, you should be able to truthfully agree with David and say, “Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies” (v. 13).