According to the National Institute of Mental Health, over 30% of the adults in the US struggle with anxiety. The World Health Organization states that, “an estimated 359 million people globally live with an anxiety disorder, making it the most widespread mental health disorder.” With ongoing political crisis, persistent financial stress, and the unrelenting troubles of the day to day, it’s no wonder so many people struggle with anxiety. We live in a broken world with plenty of factors to make us anxious every day..

So how do we manage? 

The Bible clearly states for us what we should do with our anxiety: 

“Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” 

1 Peter 5:7 

“So then, banish anxiety from your heart…”

Ecclesiastes 11:10

So often we feel helpless when it comes to emotions like anxiety, especially when the world today teaches us the narrative that we should feel all our feelings, and that every emotion is valid. There are elements of truth to this, however, according to these scriptures, even though we don’t choose to feel anxiety, we get to choose what to do with it. Both cast and banish imply a change of location. But how do we do this on a practical level? How do we hand an intangible emotion to a spiritual God? The answer can be found in Psalm 70:4.

“But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who long for your saving help always say, ‘The Lord is great!’” 

The word great that is used here in Psalm 70:4 is the Hebrew word gādal, which means to magnify, grow, become great or important, promote, or make powerful. It’s a silly thought to think that we could make God powerful, but what the scripture is actually saying is that God is already all powerful, and as Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” God’s innate power doesn’t change when we magnify Him — the authority of His power to work in our life is what changes. 

When we look at something through a magnifying glass, the properties of it do not change. Rather, our understanding of it changes. We see details we didn’t see before and understand it on a more intimate level. Whatever we choose to dwell on we are magnifying. When we magnify God in our lives, we are made more aware of His power and presence. Suddenly, our fears and problems become less significant compared to the sovereignty of God. But this is a choice we have to make. When we are in a situation where anxiety is present we have to actively choose to see more of God than our fear. 

In a time when so many fears and worries pull at our attention may we find the strength to turn out thoughts towards Him - the One who cares for us, who keeps us safe and gives us peace. After all, when we choose to focus on who our God is, we remember that He can deliver us from any situation, and even more so, He can take even the bleakest of circumstances and use if for our good.