Anxious For NothingSample

What if anxiety can bring you closer to Jesus? Jordan spent a whole year praying his anxiety away until he discovered something deeper—a stronger relationship with Jesus. Maybe you can relate to his story: “I think I’m going to die.” That’s exactly what I thought to myself numerous sleepless nights last year. I would try to fall asleep, only to be woken up in terror for no particular reason. My chest was tight. I felt like I was choking, and I couldn’t breathe at times. The cycle would repeat, and eventually I resigned myself to sleep on the couch so I’d stop waking up my wife. One day, I went to a doctor and explained my symptoms—the chest pain, the trouble falling asleep, and the panic attacks. After a couple of tests over a few visits, he diagnosed me with anxiety. Can I be honest? It made me feel like a failure as a Christian. Hadn’t I been praying against this the right way? I’m not supposed to deal with this, I would think to myself, I’m supposed to have peace and not worry—that’s what Jesus said to do! After following the doctor’s instructions and starting to take a small dose of medication, I continued praying for anxiety to just go away. I didn’t want to have to deal with it anymore. In 2 Corinthians 12, in the NIV translation, Paul described his “thorn in the flesh.” While we never know for sure what Paul’s “thorn” was, anxiety can certainly feel like one for a lot of people, including me. Paul said that he pleaded with the Lord three times to take it away, but instead, Jesus told him, “ My grace is sufficient for you , for my power is made perfect in weakness. ” (emphasis added) The grace of Jesus is sufficient, no matter the circumstances. As I began praying for healing, I began to draw closer to Jesus. Like Paul, God hasn’t taken away my “thorn.” However, I’ve found myself more passionate about reading His Word, and I’ve prayed more than I ever have before. I thought what I needed was healing for my anxiety. In reality, I needed more of Jesus . Now, I’m not saying if I had been closer to Jesus that I wouldn’t have had anxiety. I’m also not going to stop praying for anxiety to leave. I keep praying to be delivered from this thorn just like Paul did. But something even better is happening to me than being instantly healed from anxiety: I’m developing a deeper understanding of God and a richer relationship with Him. Instead of just praying for peace, I found myself drawing closer to the Prince of Peace. When I began to worry about my future, I reminded myself that He is the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end, the first and the last. I prayed for my anxiety to go away, but I found something much better: the overwhelming, loving presence of Jesus in my life—even in the midst of anxiety. -Jordan