Ok this next question is another hard one:
Is it an injustice to God to have anxiety and still have a particular fear when I do believe and I do have hope? I feel as though I must really not have faith in God when I feel these uncomfortable feelings.
This one kind of hits close to home because I often deal with anxiety. My first instinct is to fall back on the “it’s a chemical imbalance thing and there is nothing I can do about it” answer. But there does seem to be something to it beyond just hormones. Anxiety or worry in anything is in essence doubt. And doubt keeps you from God.
The Bible says:
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:6-8 NASB).
And:
“So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matt. 6:34 NASB).
That seems like a pretty strong command. God doesn’t want us to worry. Those of who have dealt with anxiety, however, will read that and say “Well, that’s easy enough to say, but HOW do I ‘be anxious for nothing’?” Am I condemned if I do worry?
Maybe this will help:
“No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.” 1 Cor. 10:13
The temptation to worry is common. Every person in the world has worried at some point or another. Even some of the greatest “heroes” in the Bible often dealt with worry. You cannot read though Psalms without reading about many of David’s worries and anxieties. Can you imagine going to bed every night wondering if someone was going to kill you in your sleep? I think the key here is what you do with your worry. Do you continue to wallow in it and have no hope of ever ridding yourself of that worry, allowing it to disable you or do you do what Peter says and “[cast] all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you” (1 Pet. 5:6 NASB)? God offers us hope even when we don’t see a way out. What is awesome is that we don’t have to fight anxiety on our own.
“But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it. In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness…” (Rom. 8: 25-26 NASB).
The Spirit helps us in our weakness.
For me, that in itself helps me with my anxiety, knowing that I am not alone.
In conclusion, I think that wallowing in doubt is wrong, but believing and hoping in God even when you are scared is Faith.
Fellow Imitators of God 