Last RMG we asked ourselves, “Am I an anxious person?”

Afterwards, in wanting to examine this issue thoroughly, I decided to research if worrying is as bad for you as they say it is. I think my grandmother told me it was once, but as much as I love her, I wanted a professional opinion on the matter so I checked with my favorite physician, Dr. WebMD.com. His consultations are free and the drive is short, not to mention there is no poking and prodding.

Anyhow, Dr. “W” was pretty convincing. Without going into all the medical triviality, I learned that anxiety can cause things such as: difficulty swallowing, dizziness, dry mouth, fast heartbeat, fatigue, headaches, inability to concentrate, irritability, muscle tension, nausea, nervous energy, shortness of breath, sweating and twitching.

Even worse it can lead to the suppression of the immune system, addictions, digestive disorders, muscle tension, short-term memory loss, premature coronary artery disease and heart attacks.

That is some serious stuff! Who wants difficulty swallowing, dry mouth and twitching in the middle of an important business lunch?

But, as believers, there is a more serious issue at stake — God’s Word. More specifically, it is Christ’s direction in Matthew 6 not to worry about our lives and God’s command, through Paul in Philippians 4, telling us to not be anxious about anything.

When you consider the definition of anxiety, God’s Word makes complete sense. The New Oxford American dictionary defines it as a, “feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome.”

But, if we REALLY believe that God is sovereign and is the author of all the past, present and future, there is no such thing as an “imminent event” or an “uncertain outcome.” What anxiety really boils down to is you or I saying, “I don’t trust you God.”

Now, sure, as humans we will naturally tend to be anxious. But, the issue is not that we feel this at first, it is whether or not we live in this and choose not to have faith in our Father. So how do we move from that initial feeling of heartburn to blissful trust?

Christ fleshes this issue out for us in Matthew 6:25-34. In reading through this not only will you find His command not to worry, you will also find five practical means to overcome and defeat anxiety:

1. Remember your value in God’s eyes; He gave His only begotten Son for you! (This alone should do it.)

2. Be wise and remember that worrying will not change anything.

3. Remember God’s provision for your needs.

4. Seek God’s will above your own, knowing it is perfect and holy.

5. Live in the here and now, not a future that only God knows.

It only makes sense: if you follow Christ’s direction, you will live a much more peaceful and joyful life. More importantly, you will live in obedience; and as a side benefit — no more twitching.

Believe it or not, I am closing with quote from Henry Ford, who said it pretty good when he said this: “I believe God is managing affairs and that He doesn’t need any advice from me. With God in charge, I believe everything will work out for the best in the end. So what is there to worry about?”