Hey Pastor Josh … it’s Juan … I need help…

It’s early in the morning and this message has been waiting for me since the night before. Juan is an employee of a company I work with as a chaplain. Juan struggles with chronic anxiety and panic attacks.

As a teaching pastor, counselor, and chaplain, I am regularly working through the realities of anxiety and worry. Sometimes it is the anxiety and worry of my friends, clients, child, spouse, and members of the church. Sometimes it is my own. With over 75% of Americans admitting that they have feelings of worry and anxiousness (I honestly believe those numbers are low), many of us who preach on a regular basis can admit there is an ache in our communities and lives that needs to be addressed.

It Isn’t a Sin to Be Anxious or Worried

Before we get a solution-focused approach on how we can find help and healing through the promises of Scripture, I think it is important to say a few things about anxiety and worry.

As our world becomes increasingly more hurried and fearful, anxiety has become more common. It’s important to remember, however, that just because anxiety is more common, it isn’t a reality followers of Jesus must accept as normal. We weren’t created to feel overwhelmed with worry or gripped with anxiety. Anxiety is, as Alvin Plantinga puts it, “the vandalism of shalom” and is not the way it’s supposed to be. We were created and designed to be people of and in peace and to live in a deep sense of wholeness.

Anxiety is a byproduct of sin and brokenness in the world. The thoughts that run wild and uncontrolled in our minds … the thoughts that lead to worst case scenarios … the thoughts that lead us to shame and fear. All of those thoughts come—not from God—but from the sin marred and scarred parts of our minds, the devil, and the proxy agents of evil at work in the world.

The more accurate way to look at anxiety and worry is to say that they are common responses to abnormal internal and external realities of a world not yet fully redeemed and restored. An honest and critical look at the garden scene in Luke (22:24) reminds us that even Jesus was gripped by anxiety and worry. As the weight of a sinful world pressed upon him, Jesus sweated blood (the medical term “hematohidrosis”) as a result of emotional, spiritual, and mental distress—and he knew no sin (2 Cor. 5:21).

Our congregants, friends, and family aren’t sinful because they are anxious or worried (and neither are we). All of humanity is prone to anxiety and worry because all of humanity and the world we live in has been marred and scarred by sin.

Thankfully, God, in his goodness, has a way for us to experience shalom and wholeness (as he does with every other aspect of life that has been mucked up by sin) in the midst of worry filled moments.

My Old Testament professor, Dr. Gary Meadors, said once, “Jesus makes it possible to be like Genesis 1 and 2 creatures again.” Jesus—entering into the experience of humanity—offers us a chance to get back to who God made us to be.

I love the way Dallas Willard puts it in the Divine Conspiracy, “By taking the title of the Son of Man, [Jesus] staked his claim to being all that human beings were supposed to be.” His death and resurrection, therefore, make it possible for us to live into and move toward increasing peace.

The Framework Found in Philippians 4:6-7

In my own work, journey, and life, however, I have found that believing in, following, and praying to Jesus earnestly isn’t always enough to live a life of peace amidst the plague of worry. I need practices and therapeutic strategies to help me, and I have found over the years that my clients and people I sit with do as well.

One helpful and practical framework to assist me in the work of navigating my worry and anxiety is laid out in Philippians 4.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:6-7)

This passage has helped me, and my clients work through and navigate worry in helpful and productive ways. In it, I have found four questions that fall out of the passage and practices that align with counseling theories. As we explore the passage, I will explain how these questions and practices work together.

‘Do not be anxious about anything …’ | What Am I Worried About?

It may seem obvious, but it is important to note that Paul presupposes that we will always have cause to worry. One of the most practical and powerful ways of confronting anxiety is to name it and acknowledge it. We cannot navigate what we cannot name. When anxiety comes (and it will—for everyone), we need to name it.

One of the phrases I commonly say to my wife is, “What is the loudest noise?” What is the thought that keeps coming up more than the rest? For me, one of my greatest worries and anxieties is that my wife is going to be angry with me. When I sense her anger or frustration, I feel sweaty, tense, small, and triggered. Before I can navigate that and experience peace, I need to name it.

As you read this, it might be helpful for you to jot down a few things you frequently worry about (or things you think about intensely throughout the day). When I meet with clients, I typically spend the first few sessions staring at a whiteboard with them as we unpack all the “noises” and worries in their day-to-day life. Once identified, we can take the next step in Paul’s instruction.

‘… but in every situation, by prayer and petition …’ | Why Am I Worried About It?

When combined with “requests” this statement points to the reality that the type of prayer is directed toward problems stemming from suffering and the need for God to act and bring deliverance. Paul reminds us that there is typically a problem that we attach to that worry. It isn’t enough to identify why we are worried. We need to take things one level deeper and ask, “Why am I worried about this?”

The deeper level, the underlying fear or concern, can help us understand the reason why we are so gripped with this worry and why we have repeat struggles with this anxious thought.

I can tell you plainly, the reason why I worry about my wife being angry has very little to do with her. I was married once before I met my now and forever wife. My marriage ended with my first wife leaving me. From that moment, even though I have gone through years of therapy and healing, I have carried a deep fear that people I love and trust will leave me. When my wife is frustrated or angry, I feel anxious and worried because a part of me, deep down, is afraid that she will leave me.

Why are you worried about what you worry about? You may want to take a moment to write that down as well. Once you’ve done that we can look at what Paul has to say next.

‘… with thanksgiving …’ | Where Is God Working?

Paul takes an intentional step of being thankful. Thankfulness and gratitude are more practices than attitudes. It takes work and effort to be a thankful and grateful person. In fairness, our world lends and bends toward negativity and pessimism more and more. The intentional practice of gratitude helps us to combat the inward lean toward worry and anxiety. Neuroscience affirms this practice.

There is a part of the brain known as the Reticular Activity Center (RAC). It is the part of the brain that helps us play, “I Spy” (shout out to all my fellow parents who have taken road trips without planning enough games and activities). The RAC doesn’t just help us hunt for colors and items, it also helps us hunt for events and instances that confirm what we are focusing on or anticipating.

So, if you are worried your child is going to get sick and your family will play “pass the puke” and that your vacation to Florida will be ruined—the RAC will essentially hunt for every sneeze, sniffle, cough, or symptom you hear or sense in the grocery store. Essentially, the RAC will hunt for reasons to confirm why you should, in fact, be anxious. Incidentally, the RAC can be retrained to focus on reasons why you can and should be grateful. This takes some effort, but practicing gratitude is a powerful way to combat worry.

I don’t know about you, but as I write this, I am halfway through the day and I already have more than most, and for that, I can be grateful. I woke up this morning. My wife and son told me that they loved me. I had hot coffee today. I had multiple options for breakfast. We had enough money in the account to pay for gas.

Making a list of “where God is working” in our lives is a great way to reorient our hearts and minds toward gratitude and thanksgiving.

Where is God working in your life? Start with listing out a few small things. I recommend that you start a daily journal noting a minimum of five items and events to be grateful for. Once we have a grateful and thankful posture, we can add in the final question.

‘… present your requests to God.’ | Who Is God to Me?

This final component is critical. When you think about God, what do you think about? Perhaps even more critical: “Who is God to you?” Or perhaps: “What beliefs do I hold about God and how he relates to me?” Our understanding of God impacts the way we navigate worry and how we experience the peace that Jesus can bring us.

Some of us grew up with a picture of God that wasn’t helpful for our formation and our lives. Some of us grew up with an angry God who was just waiting to lay the hammer down on us the moment we screwed up.

I certainly had my share of that growing up in a fairly legalistic faith environment. A 2014 study on prayer and symptoms of anxiety from Baylor University found that “Perceived characteristics of God—such as loving, remote or judgmental—affect the relationship between prayer and mental health.” More specifically, I have found in my own life and the lives of those I sit with, that praying to a loving God who is close and caring makes a significant difference in how I navigate my worries and anxious moments.

If you or people you preach to and work with struggle to see and experience God as close, caring, compassionate, and comforting, it might be helpful to incorporate a practice into your time and teaching. A Lectio Divina (1 Pet. 5:7 is an incredibly helpful passage to work through) or Visio Divina (Rembrandt’s Return of the Prodigal Son is another beautiful work to explore and examine) can be a practical and powerful way to help people in the moment.

While these are helpful practices, keep in mind that some people have been deeply hurt by parents and people in the church, and they might transfer that pain and hurt to God. Unpacking that pain will take more than a 30-minute sermon and likely more than a few follow-up meetings in a one-on-one or small group context. Nevertheless, taking time to answer the question, “Who is God to me?” is an important step to navigating anxiety.

Peace Will Guard Against Worry

As we work through this framework and these questions, ultimately turning to God in prayer, we can experience a measure of peace. One that Paul says transcends human understanding and guards us mentally and emotionally from the worries that consume us.

It is important to note that Paul never promises that the worry will go away. He promises us that peace will guard against it. Our world will always (this side of the restoration and renewal of all things) present problems and painful realities that will cause us to experience worry. As pastors, we can assure people that Jesus can help us navigate the worry and literally protect our hearts and minds from falling into the consuming grip of anxiety without setting a false expectation that worry will never happen.

Over the years, these questions and this framework has helped me tremendously in my ministry work, counseling sessions, and personal life. For people like my friend Juan, frameworks and tools like these are practical and valuable resources in navigating the emotionally challenging landscape of anxiety. As we pastorally lean into an increasingly anxious, hurried, and stress-filled culture and world, I believe pointing people to the power of Jesus, the love of God, and the practices of sound therapy and spiritual disciplines can guide us and others toward healing, shalom, and wholeness.

Editor’s Note: Josh has created an app, Worry Work App, that aligns with this framework he has outlined in this article. You can find it on the website: The Worry Work App. You can also download it directly from the Google and Apple stores.

I highly recommend downloading it. I try to use it daily to start my day off in a better way and I can tell a difference in my day when I do use it and when I don’t. The app is streamlined, and he gives you a brief overview of Scripture passages you can choose to read/meditate on. This app is a valuable to tool for anyone who is looking for a measure of peace in their personal life.

Josh Zoerhof is the Teaching Pastor for the Fearless Family of Churches and a Corporate Chaplain to local businesses in the West Michigan area. He hosts the “Chaplaincy On The Go” podcast - a podcast devoted to mental, emotional, and spiritual health in the workplace and home.