Anxiety & Piety

We all deal with it. Our achievement-oriented American culture fosters it. The information superhighway delivers 24/7 on-demand fodder to feed it. Not that we need it though; our personal problems are in no short supply. Anxiety: tale as old as time. The ancient wise man Solomon knew a lot about it. For example, he says:

It is in vain that you rise up early
and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil;
for he gives to his beloved sleep.

Psalm 127:2

Sound familiar? Could it be that at the end of the day we simply are not trusting God? Here is a remedy for our worries: our Father has got everything covered. Spurgeon says it beautifully, “The Sovereignty of God is the pillow upon which the child of God rests his head at night, giving perfect peace.” If he wants it done, it shall be done. If not, nothing I do can possibly accomplish it. And so what? His purposes for me shall stand; his love for me shall be accomplished in full. Everything else is a footnote.

That’s a death knell for anxiety of all sorts. My Creator loves me and will do what he wishes with me, and what he does will be best by far. Just as the world offers us endless things to be anxious about, so too the good news of God’s fatherly care for us in Jesus offers wondrous truth for our faith to feed upon. Soon enough anxiety’s proud head begins to nod, and presently it goes to sleep. And now we can too, because God’s gospel goodness to us in Christ soothes all our worries with the sweetness of eternal, divine love.