Most of us, at one point in time or another, struggle with anxiety. Our current culture has compounded this problem by heaping upon every one of us an expectation of busyness and perfection that cannot be attained. When I’m honest about my anxiety I tend to focus on work and home with an expectation that is so far outside of my reach that it boggles my mind. When I step back for a moment and look at what I am expecting myself to do I am always frustrated that I am attempting to accomplish something that was never meant for me.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:6-7

Scriptures clear in regards to anxiety by teaching us that there is no place for anxiety in our lives. However, when I hear those words, my immediate reaction is to beg the question, “What do I do now?”

Because let’s face it, I can’t even tell you how many times I have prayed that God would take care of my concerns and do with them as he pleases, but have not noticed an immediate relief of anxiety. More often than not, I find myself frustrated with the situation and frustrated that God has not answered my prayer in the time frame or fashion that I expected him to.

However, when I reflect on the nature of my anxiety, it is because I have chosen to assert my thoughts, my feelings, my expectations, and my hopes for the future over those of the Lord. When a trade like this is made, I am asserting that I am god and that my will must be done.

But if you’ve ever met me, you know for a fact that I am not God.

And I look in the mirror and know that I am not God.

My anxiety is a derivative of the fact that my flesh wants to be God. Just like Adam and Eve in the garden the fruit was promised to make them like God, So their sin functioned as an avenue to obtain that goal.

When I pursue and anxiety free life my initial pursuit is to see clearly the vision that God has for me, and put to death any notion that I am like him, knowing all things.

Submission to the authority of God is difficult, until we look at our own track record and realize that we, apart from him, can do nothing.