Philippians 4:6-7
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 surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
It's not hard to see that the things we are experiencing here in this nation is rapidly going south. We see our God-given rights of free speech, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, being dismantled day by day. It's as if the U.S. Constitution has become nothing more than a ragged old piece of paper used to wipe our backsides.
In the midst of this erosion, people become a lot more worrisome, stressed, anxious and depressed. Nearly 4 in 10 (39.3%) adults reported symptoms of anxiety or depression in February 2021, compared to 32.3 percent in 2023. (source: KFF The independent source for health policy research, polling, and news).
According to Johns Hopkins: Approximately 9.5% of American adults ages 18 and over, will suffer from a depressive illness (major depression, bipolar disorder, or dysthymia) each year.
Given the condition of our nation, as a whole, these statistics should not be so alarming. Our youth is in particular peril. Most are still trying to cope with the loss of social interaction and a human connection with their peer groups from the lockdowns from the past 2 years.
But even as this world is drawing closer each day to the judgment of God, people will refuse to pay heed to what God says and what He has done for each of us. We hasten to turn our backs on God and drive Him out of every aspect of our lives, socially, economically, politically, and judicially.
The only thing left, it seems, is to give up and fall in line. But that's not what God says we should do. We who are born again in the Spirit are not of this world. We have been justified and sanctified. We have become victors and not victims.
Paul reminds us that there is a God who loves us and wants us to be filled with His joy. He doesn't want us to perish under the stresses of life. That is something that Satan engineers and implements in the hearts of those who refuse to accept Christ as Lord and Savior.
Paul says our best resource to fight stress, anxiety, and depression is to pray. But it is also more than that. Prayer is a great way to start. But sometimes, we become isolated from others who can join us in prayer. We need others to help us and encourage us to go the distance.
This is why it is so important for us to be in church. The more we come together in harmony and unity in the love of Christ, the less we feel depressed and anxious. When we rally together, we keep Satan at bay.
When we pray and assemble in church to give God praise and show our gratitude for all He has done, we tend not to be a statistic of a suffering people. Instead, as Paul puts it, "and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
I know what you're probably thinking right now. It's easier said than done. Yeah. The fact is, nothing is easy. Certainly, following Jesus is not easy. It is easy to get out of the habit of loving and serving Him. It is easy to miss church a Sunday or two. But it is also easy to fall victim to our own demise. If we let ourselves drift away from God, and shrink back into our former ways, it will always be easy to allow ourselves to become mental cases beyond repair.
Are you finding yourself falling into the snares and traps that bring high anxiety, emotional stress or clinical depression, to where you cannot see the light of day? Turn to God and pray. Lay down your requests and supplications. Come together in unison in the church that Jesus gave His life for, and find encouragement and a peace that surpasses all understanding.
We may not have much control of the future, but we know who holds the future in His hands.
Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Tom
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