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July 22, 2024

What Does the Apostle Paul Say About Anxiety?

Dr. Jason Neill

Scripture reading: Acts 16:1-40; 28:11-31; Philippians 4:4-23

You may or may not be surprised by the fact that the Bible addresses anxiety, a problem we all experience from time to time. Anxiety concerns a worry about a threat that has not yet, or may never, happen. For example, some common worries people may experience are: worry over visiting their medical doctor and being diagnosed with cancer, worry over visiting their dentist, worry over a job performance evaluation, worry over performing poorly on an exam, worry over starting something new, worry over failing at something, worry over someone they love getting sick and/or dying, worry over not having enough money, worry over what people think of them, worry over being alone, worry over losing their job, and worry over retirement. The list could go on and on.

When we step back in time, the Christians in the first century had significant issues as well to worry about. For example, being misunderstood, being persecuted which may involve the loss of their lives, being arrested for their faith, being ostracized by their families because they believed in Jesus for everlasting life and, consequently, sought to follow His teachings. The list could go on and on.

The Apostle Paul is a case in point. During his second missionary trip (which occurred in A.D. 50-52, see Acts 16:1-40), he evangelized the city of Philippi sharing the message of everlasting life to those who would believe in Jesus for it with people like Lydia (see Acts 16:11-15), who was a businesswoman, and her household. During his visit, Paul was thrown in jail. The charge? He and Silas, his co-worker in evangelism, were accused of causing a public riot (see Acts 16:16-24). While in jail, Paul also shared the message of everlasting life with the jailer who was afraid following the miracle at the jail; namely that the doors of the prison had opened via an earthquake, and those prisoners under his care had fled (see Acts 16:25-34). If this Roman guard’s negligence resulted in prisoners missing, then his own life would be forfeit as punishment. No prisoner escaped, however, this miraculous event combined with the evangelistic witness of Paul and Silas prompted him to ask them “what must I do to be saved?” Paul and Silas shared with him, and his entire family, the message of believing in Jesus for everlasting life. The guard believed and so did his entire family (see Acts 16:29-34). Eventually Paul and Silas were released from prison, said their farewells to Lydia and the fellow believers who made up the newly planted church at Philippi (See Acts 16:35-40). 

During A.D. 60-63, Paul was under house arrest in Rome (see Acts 28:11-31). In fact, he was there for two years. The charge? He allegedly brought Gentiles into an area of the Jewish Temple they were not allowed (see the accusation in Acts 21:27-29). The charge was baseless; nevertheless, Paul appealed to the highest court in the land (e.g. Rome) because he knew if he remained in Jerusalem the religious leaders would have killed him (see Acts 22:30-23:22). It was while Paul was under house arrest, chained to two Roman guards’ night and day, in Rome that he wrote Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians, and Philemon.

Paul wrote to the Philippians, during his house arrest, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:4-7, CSB). It doesn’t appear that Paul allowed his circumstances to cause him anxiety. In fact, he told the believers at Philippi “don’t worry about anything.” When you read his letter, Paul was facing a trial that could end in his death (see Philippians 1:19-20; 2:17) or acquittal (1:25; 2:24). How can Paul approach life with that attitude, absent from anxiety, despite all the things he experienced? How can we experience that kind of attitude when we feel anxious?  

Prayer is the first key (see Philippians 4:6). Life can certainly feel overwhelming at times. In those circumstances, we are encouraged to pray. Tell God your anxious thoughts, don’t leave out any detail. He wants to hear all of it. God loves you and wants to hear from you. Are you fearful? Pray. Are you worried? Pray. Are you overwhelmed? Pray. Although He knows what concerns you, He wants to hear from you.

Thanksgiving, or giving thanks, is the second key (see Philippians 4:6). The character of God isn’t mentioned in this specific passage; however, it is a good idea to be thankful for who God is amid your worry. God is all powerful, all knowing, and present everywhere. He is adequate for whatever challenges you are facing. Keep in mind it doesn’t mean the circumstances will magically vanish. The Apostle Paul, even in rejoicing in his circumstances, was still in chains (see Philippians 1:7, 13, & 16).

Meditation is the third key (see Philippians 4:8-9). Paul encouraged the believers at Philippi, and us as well, to carefully consider what we contemplate. Biblical meditation is thinking/reflecting about a verse or verses from scripture by rolling it over in our mind. I would recommend choosing a small book of the bible to start with such as the book of Philippians; it only has four chapters. You could read one chapter a day. After reading through the book over four days, start the process all over again. Do this process for one month. If you are like me, you have downtime throughout the day. Take those few moments and reflect on what you read in those spare moments. This way you’ll be meditating on scripture throughout the day. Here are some questions to ponder as you mediate: What does this passage teach me about God? Is there a command for me to obey? Is there a sin for me to avoid? Is there a prayer for me to pray? Is there an example to follow? 

It may be helpful to set aside some time and review the following passages that speak about meditating on God’s Word: Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1; 19; 119; Proverbs 2; John 14; Romans 12:1-2; Colossians 3:16; 2 Timothy 3:16