Part 3 of the study of the causes and solutions for anxiety
~~ Watch the Video ~~
Scriptures:
- Matthew 6:34
- Isaiah 26:3-4
- Psalm 56:3
- Matthew 6:24-34
- Proverbs 11:25
- Genesis 2:7
- Isaiah 26:3-4
Outline:
- Introduction
- Traits of Wholeness
- What is Anxiety?
- Causes of Anxiety
- Solutions (Review)
- Why We Shouldn't Worry (Matthew 6:24-34)
- Impact of Stress
- Solutions to Anxiety
- Help Others
- Christian Mindsets (Romans 8)
- Practical Techniques
- Worry Decision Tree
- Worry Appointment
- Breath control
- Attention redirection
- Relaxation
- Physical
- Externalization
- Perspective- taking
- Social
- Diet and Supplements
- Rest
- Conclusion: Return to the Garden of Eden
Matthew 6:34
34 “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Jesus tells us … Don’t worry… don’t be anxious
3 types of people
- Carefree person
- Detail oriented worrier
- Going through tragedy
The carefree person hears Jesus’ statements as permission to continue
- Not saving
- No goals
- not planning
The detail/goal oriented person feels shame and hears Jesus‘s statement as condemning
- now they are worried that they worry too much
Someone is going through a difficult situation
- You don’t know what I’m going through
- It’s not that easy
I hope to speak to all 3 people today…
Why is it hard not to worry?
Traits of Wholeness
We are in our series called Seeking Wholeness
How can we be _______ healthy
- spiritually
- emotionally
- mentally
Dealing with life’s current stresses and also being healed from past experiences/wounds
We’re not just supposed to get eternal life
- We’re supposed to have: joy, peace, patience and self control here on earth
Traits of Wholeness
- Authenticity
- Honesty
- Kindness
- Not seeking external approval / validation
- Living by values and principles
- Setting Boundaries
- Taking ownership of your responsibilities
- Living with purpose and passion
- Optimism
- Confidence
- Healthy relationships with others
- Not losing control of your emotions
- Free from addictions
- Addressing Conflict
- Vulnerability
- Not critical or Judgemental
- Not jealous
- Genuinely applaud the success of others
- Forgive those who have wronged you in the past
- Know that you’re worthy of receiving love
- Not afraid to fail
- Able to manage irrational fear, worry, and anxiety
- Selfless encounters with others
- Not manipulating others trying to control their actions/reactions
- You care about how others feel
- Patient
- Don’t give into peer/social pressure
- Can communicate directly
- Being led by the Spirit
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is an emotion that we all get when we are in stressful situations
Apprehensive uneasiness or nervousness usually over an impending or anticipated ill
Anxiety is your body's natural response to stress. It's a feeling of fear or apprehension about what's to come.
We don’t decide to get anxious
- It happens to us
Symptoms include:
- butterflies in your stomach
- racing heart
- you feel out of control
- nightmares
- panic attacks
- painful thoughts or memories that you can’t control
- general feeling of fear and worry
- fear a specific place or event
- rapid breathing
- restlessness
Causes of Anxiety
You Want to be in Control
Isaiah 26:3-4
3 “The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace,
Because he trusts in You.
4 “Trust in the LORD forever,
For in GOD the LORD, we have an everlasting Rock.
Control
“Uncontrollable” Stress is more toxic than stress that you feel is in your control
--Maler, 2011
The exact same stressor can have little toxic effect if the subject has a sense of control over the situation
Story: when I was a child I was poor
Fear
Psalm 56:3
“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you."
Fear causes us to look into the future and erase the presence of God.
Faith causes us to look into the future and assume the presence of God.
Fear of Man
- Worried about others opinion
- Wanting to control others behavior
Traumatic Event
Association
- Conscious or unconscious association
Example: Mos Def in Italian Job
Study: Dr. had a pen in his hand and poked person who couldn’t form long-term memories
- Came back in 10 minutes later and tried to shake hands
- They gave explanations of not trusting people with lab coats or his beard etc.
- This shows that we have unconscious emotional associations to events that happened to us
- We come up with reasons that are not true
This shows
- We have emotional associations to events
- We might not know consciously the cause of our fears
- Our stated reasons may not be the real reasons
- Asking yourself why isn’t always the solution
Experiment: panty hose
Solutions (Review)
- Prayer
- Brings in Heaven’s resources
- Changes you
- Do What You Can do now
- Then turn the rest to God
- Be Curious about others (social anxiety)
- Show up to see not to be seen
- Make a decision quickly and badly (indecisive)
- Practice of gratitude
Why We Shouldn't Worry (Matthew 6:24-34)
Matthew 6:24-34
24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. 25 “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life [soul], as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is life not more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the sky, that they do not sow, nor reap, nor gather crops into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more important than they? 27 And which of you by worrying can add a single day to his life’s span? 28 And why are you worried about clothing? Notice how the lilies of the field grow; they do not labor nor do they spin thread for cloth, 29 yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! 31 Do not worry then, saying, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear for clothing?’ 32 For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided to you.
34 “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Biblical/Cultural Context
- Sermon on the mount
- Many of the audience were day laborers
The disciples left their jobs to follow Jesus. They were wandering from town to town not knowing where Jesus would lead them.
- Not knowing what they’d eat
- Many people in that time were hired for the day and pay it at the end of the day
Story: follow the rabbi
The Main Point
Jesus says “do not worry”, “do not be anxious” five times
This is the main point of this passage and everything else is in support of this point
What Jesus Isn’t Saying
He’s not justifying
- Irresponsible
- Don’t plan for the future
- Freeloading off of others
- Selfish
Don’t worry… Seek ye first the kingdom of God
- Don’t worry… Work
Don’t replace worry with inaction...replace it with God
Example: making coffee
- You do it, but you don’t worry about it
Jesus is not saying
- Don’t work
- Don’t have ambition
- Don’t plan for the future
Sowing and reaping
Your Worry is Misplaced
- You are worrying about the wrong thing
24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. 25 “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life [soul], as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is life not more than food, and the body more than clothing?
mammon
a Syrian deity, god of riches; Hence riches, wealth
He’s says don’t worry about
- What you eat
- What you drink
- What you wear
- What you drive
- the house you live in
Money can buy those things listed
We worry when we stick to things of the world first
Misplaced ambition will always bear the fruit of anxiety in our lives.
The answer to misplaced ambition is not no ambition, but it is right ambition.
If you prioritize your life thinking how you can get more eat more drink and more clothes then you will cut yourself off from serving God.
Example: worried about my shirt
- Did I wear it recently?
- I don’t want to seem too stuffy
- I want to have an air of influence or authority
- Authentic
Example: my floor at Adobe
Life is “More” Than Material Things
25 “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life [soul], as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is life not more than food, and the body more than clothing?
Life is “more“ than food in the body is “more“ than clothing. So you should be focused on the more.
You are worrying about the wrong thing
Worry is Unproductive
Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow
It only empties today of its strength
-- Skip Heitzig
Lesser to Greater Argument
26 Look at the birds of the sky, that they do not sow, nor reap, nor gather crops into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more important than they?
Jesus argues that if God provide to the lesser he will definitely provide for the greater
Worry under values our value to God
When we worry we create fictional situations that may never happen.
It’s a Waste of Time
27 And which of you by worrying can add a single day to his life’s span?
Rap:
They in that rockin' chair crew
Meanin' they ain't goin' nowhere, but they always got something to do
--Skillz?
Worry Shows Unbelief
30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!
Worry it’s pointless when trust is well placed
Worrying implies a lack of faith
You Act Like You Don’t Know God
32 For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
Not Worrying is a Witness
Story: Judith asked why I wasn’t worried
Worry is Unbearable
34 “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
People take the worries from yesterday, and the worries of the future and add them to the worry of today which makes it unbearable.
The secret to not worrying is to live one day at a time
“don’t cross that bridge until you get to it“
There are two days in a week we need to learn not to worry about...who knows them?
- Yesterday
- Tomorrow
Don’t worry about
- the past
- the future
God gives us enough grace to handle one days worth of worry
- He says “give us this day our daily bread“ because that’s the way we are meant to live
“Better not trouble trouble until trouble troubles you
For you only make your trouble double trouble when you do”
Story: a man’s grocery store burned down
- I had breakfast and it isn’t time to eat again
Need for Faith
These reasons only work if you have faith
Impact of Stress
Stress impacts different people differently
Decision Making
Fight or flight
Stress triggers your “fight-or-flight response,” releasing the stress hormone cortisol to make the body alert and prepared to face the threat.
- amygdala
Our brain isn’t wired to make logical decision when we’re stressed
We narrow and simplify our options
- all or nothing extremes
Story: roommate and thermostat
Study: When people are stressed they are more likely to choose high risk high payoff options
- MIT Study
Digestion
Stress decreases digestion ability.
Stress can cause a range of gastrointestinal problems including
- cramping
- bloating
- inflammation
- loss of appetite
Can also
- Causing your esophagus to go into spasms
- Increasing the acid in your stomach, which results in indigestion
- Making you feel nauseous
- Giving you diarrhea or constipation
Physiological
Stress causes physiological changes
- heightened state of awareness
- faster breathing and heart rates
- elevated blood pressure
- a rise in blood cholesterol
- increase in muscle tension
Cravings
Appetite
Eating disorders and obesity can be associated with psychological stress. Cortisol, a hormone released by the adrenal glands, also increases appetite.
-- May 2017 in the journal Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews
Food preferences
physical or emotional distress increases the intake of food
- high in fat
- Sugar
- both
-- Harvard Medical School
Solutions to Anxiety
Help Others
Proverbs 11:25
“A generous person will be prosperous, And one who gives others plenty of water will himself be given plenty.”
Something bigger than you
If we do things with someone else in mind we are at a lower risk of poor mental health.
balloon story
https://www.tiktok.com/@michael_leadon/video/6949053787218742533
Help Future Generations
Another way to do something with other people in mind is to do work that will benefit a future generation.
- Even if they don’t know that it was you who did it.
It will make you realize the uniqueness and importance of your life.
Find Your “Why”
If you have a “why” for your existence you can bear almost any “how”
Story: free pancakes
- Some people focus on the reward
- Some people focus on the obstacles
Don’t focus on what other people aren’t doing
Example: Jeff Bezos - $194B
- He could cure hunger
Don’t focus on what other people aren’t doing
- Joel Osteen
- Biden/Trump
- The rich people
- The government
Don’t focus on things out of your control
Focus on things that impact you directly
Focus on your responsibility
Example: friend with 5 Trump posts per day on Facebook
- But they don’t like Trump
Christian Mindsets (Romans 8)
- God Forgave You for Your Sins
- You are a Child of God
- Your Value is dependent on you being child of God
- It isn’t Dependent on Your Works
- Don’t Focus on Fleshly Goals
- The Spirit of God is in You
- Your Future is Bright
- The Holy Spirit Helps You to Pray
- God can use it All for Good
- God Wants You to Succeed
- Nothing Will Stop Jesus from Loving You
http://unchaineddisciples.blogspot.com/2021/01/the-christian-mindset.html
Practical Techniques
- Worry Decision Tree
- Worry Appointment
- Breath control
- Attention redirection
- Relaxation
- Physical
- Externalization
- Perspective- taking
- Social
- Diet and Supplements
- Rest
- Memory Verses
The Worrying Decision Tree
Separate real-time worries from hypothetical worries
What am I worrying about?
Can I do something about it?
- If yes do what you can do now
- Then let the worry go
If no plan what you can do and do it now
If it is a problem that you can’t do something about let go of the worry and focus on something else
My worries
- Email about something I made a mistake about
- FedEx - literally the first application on the web
- Cooking egg - remembered Lila telling me how I should get my eggs
- Paper towels on floor - why Juin so critical
# 3 and 4 need to be addressed deeper
Make a Worrying Appointment
Worry is focusing on a future threat or a past pain
This is the time to worry about hypothetical worries
- Write down your worries
- How concerning are they on a scale of 1 to 10
- Are they any less worrisome now during your worry time then when it first came to mind?
- Can I do something about it right now?
Keep a worry journal that you only look at during your worry time
When you have a thought that comes to your mind make note of it and tell yourself you were going to save it for later
Look at your thankful list after your worry appointment
Breath control
Genesis 2:7
Then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living person.
- God has breath
Can a table breathe on you?
- No … it doesn’t have breath
In order to “breathe”, you have to have “breath”
- God does
Down-regulation via breathing
- Diaphragmatic breathing (deep breath)
- Inhale through nose; hold; exhale through mouth
- Increase duration of exhale compared to breathing
Most effective for stress - decreases energy
Box breathing
- Used by DOD
- Bottom up - breath controls what’s going on in head
- Breath in - 4 secs
- Hold - 4 secs
- Breath out - 4 secs
- Hold - 4 secs
Attentional Redirection
Temperature regulation
- Hold ice
Your body thinks: What you focus on is important.
Focus Intensely on an Activity
- Mindfully do something - e.g. wash dishes
Relaxation
Slow-paced Instrumental Music
5 Minutes of Alone Time with no Stimulation
- No phone
- No music
Summary of Solutions
Pray for faith and meditate on God’s truth
Have the Christian Mindset
- Trusting that God is in control
- Pray
- Do what you can do now and turn the rest to God
- Be Curious about others
- Show up to see not to be seen
- Make a decision quickly and badly
- Practice of gratitude
- Have a purpose in life
- Help others
- Not being so self centered
- Don’t focus on what others aren’t doing
- Worry Decision Tree
- Worry Appointment
- Breath Control
- Attention Redirection
- Hold ice
- Focus on an activity intensely
- Relax
- Slow paced music
- 5 minutes of alone time
Conclusion: Return to the Garden of Eden
Jesus came to return us to a state where we are dependent on God. Adam and Eve didn’t worry about where his next meal was going to come from. Adam didn’t have to work to get food from the ground until after he sinned.
He didn’t have to worry about sewing only about reaping
He didn’t have to plan
Having to worry about if what you planted
- was enough
- sustain you in the future
was a result of the fall
Jesus came to return us to the original Garden of Eden.
When Jesus brought the Kingdom, by ushering in the Holy Spirit, He was offering us an option to free ourselves from the cares of the world.
He was offering us more than salvation. He is offering us peace.
In the parable of the sower, Jesus tells us that the cares of the world will prevent the seed of the word from taking root in our heart.
In the sermon on the mount, Jesus tells us that focusing on material goals will cause us to be anxious. Misplaced goals lead to worry. If we are chasing the wrong dream, we will have nightmares.
The kingdom of God is righteousness, joy and peace in the Holy Spirit.
The kingdom of God is not about resolving all of your earthly issues. The kingdom of God is a means to giving all of those issues to God.
It is a trust in our heavenly father knowing that whatever you need is taken care of. Trusting that whatever He doesn’t give you wasn’t something that you needed. Regardless of what others tell you you need.
It is allowing God’s priorities and definition of importance to dictate the priorities of our lives. To dictate the desires of our hearts.
It is a complete trust in God and a life of being led by the Holy Spirit.
It is the path to righteousness, joy, and peace.
Isaiah 26:3-4
3 “The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace,
Because he trusts in You.
4 “Trust in the LORD forever,
For in GOD the LORD, we have an everlasting Rock.
References
https://www.everydayhealth.com/wellness/united-states-of-stress/how-stress-affects-digestion/
How to stop worrying | Matthew 6:23 - 25
Philip Decourcey
Worry anxiety and the kingdom of God
Jake LeFave
Anxiety: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, and More (healthline.com)
Matthew 6:24 through 34 | do not be anxious
Desiring God
The Real Science of Stress
Dr. Sahar Yousef and Professor Lucas Miller
Extra
1 Cor 7
32 But I want you to be free from concern. One who is unmarried is concerned about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord;
33 but one who is married is concerned [worried] about the things of the world, how he may please his wife,
34 and his interests are divided. The woman who is unmarried, and the virgin, is concerned about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how she may please her husband.
35 I say this for your own benefit, not to put a restraint on you, but to promote what is appropriate and to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord.
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