Do not be anxious!

ARE you feeling overwhelmed or stressed with life’s challenges?

Reflecting on recent months, with the rising cost of living and numerous strikes in the public sector involving nurses, doctors, teachers and more, predicting the next news headline has become increasingly difficult.

The overwhelming challenges of life have led to anxiety and depression for many.

Anxiety can affect anyone: it is a normal emotion but when spiralled out of control, it negatively impacts us.

The Bible acknowledges this emotion and tells us in Philippians 4:7 not to be anxious but to come to God with our burdens.

When you are gripped with anxiety, you lose your peace and joy. So, when the Bible tells us not to be anxious, it is acknowledging that there is the possibility of becoming anxious. It validates that anxiety as an emotion exists and can affect us negatively.

Its advice that God can give you peace during the storm doesn’t mean all your problems will disappear, but Christians believe you will find comfort in God’s peace, which will help you navigate and overcome the things that bring you anxiety.

This reminds me of another Bible story, in John chapter 11, where Mary and Martha reach out to Jesus with news of Lazarus's severe illness. Despite their plea, Jesus delayed, and Lazarus passed away.

Sometimes it feels like that for many of us. We feel as though our needs have been neglected until it’s too late.

The people we expect to help us don’t always help in time: the delay in receiving an urgent appointment from your GP, which may trigger anxiety or stress; the spouse or partner who leaves you broken-hearted after vowing to