Fruitful Living
Can we really “not be anxious about anything”?
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” – Philippians 4:6.
INTRODUCTION
The Apostle Paul’s instruction to live free of anxiety sounds wonderful, but his original readers may have wondered if that was truly possible. Many Christians are asking that same question today. After all, life is full of troubling situations, and we as humans tend to view anxiety as a reasonable response when they arise. How can we not be anxious in this worldwide pandemic called COVID-19.
Philippians 4:6 however offers a better way to handle our cares, by encouraging us to quickly and continually release concerns to God. This is not easy but it is possible to do it because God is our Helper and Paul promises that if we can learn and practice this skill, we’ll experience more peace and joy every day.
- WHAT DOES “DO NOT BE ANXIOUS ABOUT ANYTHING” MEAN?
Philippians 4:6 becomes a lesson about keeping our joy in the midst of difficulties. Paul clearly set the goal – “Do not be anxious about anything.” Then, he explains what to do instead “in every situation.” His approach includes four elements:
- Prayer,
- Petition,
- Thanksgiving and
- Presenting.
The word of God through Paul promises that doing these four things would have positive effects on the emotional, mental and spiritual health of a person.
- WHAT SHOULD WE DO WHEN WE FEEL ANXIOUS?
Three separate but related actions are mentioned in verse 4 that suggest how we can deal with anxious thoughts.
“…by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving…”
- Prayer – giving worship to the Lord for who He is and what He has done.
- Petition – directly asking God to help in His way and timing.
- Thanksgiving – expressing humble gratitude for the kindness He has shown
Paul knows that incorporating all of these will soften the believer’s heart, and align it more closely with God. The result of coming to God this way is the creation of a wonderful worship cycle between us and God: seeking Him, calling out to Him in trust, asking Him to meet our needs, confidently watching for Him, and praising Him for His provision.
- HOW CAN WE OVERCOME ANXIETY?
God did not design you to be anxious or nervous. In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told the crowds, “Do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ . . . Do not worry about tomorrow.” — Matthew 6:31,34.
At some point, all of us have worried about the basics of life through the COVID-19 pandemic. Our anxieties often involve fundamental things: fears for our health and those we love, how we will make a living, securing supplies, and how to handle previously anticipated events and celebrations. In all these concerns, the issue is one of faith and trust in God. Do we really believe that God will do what He has promised to do in His Word?
If we assume that we are the ones who are in charge of our life, then we will battle anxiety and fear. However, if we understand the ways of the Lord, then we will know that He is in charge and that the sovereign God of the universe cares for every detail of our lives – 1 Peter 5:7. If we worry and doubt His goodness, we will never have the peace He wants us to experience.
Do you take time to acknowledge Him as your provider? Your answer has everything to do with your anxiety level.
Have you ever watched a mouse running inside a wheel? The faster he runs, the faster the wheel moves — but he doesn’t make the slightest progress. He does not even have the sense to get off the wheel. This is exactly what anxiety does to us. As fearful thoughts fill our mind, we begin to run faster, trying harder to meet the demands of others or to prevent an uncertain disaster. But we will never gain complete control over our circumstances because God is the One who is solely in control of all things.
There is only one way to step off the wheel and that is by acknowledging the Lord’s ability to take care of every need we have. God created us. He knows our needs and the deepest desires of our heart. “Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” – Psalm 37:4.
The Lord wishes for us to end the anxiety cycle and let Him lead. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.- Matthew 11:28.
First Peter 5:6 – 7 says, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” The word “casting” is related to the Greek verb used in Luke 19:35, when on Palm Sunday the people of Jerusalem threw their garments onto a colt for Jesus to ride. The word describes the same motion: a deliberate action of setting something down and leaving it there.
Jesus wants us to give our cares over to Him and leave them with Him. You depend on Him for life itself, and you acknowledge this by saying, “Here, Jesus. Take my problems. You have the answers! I trust you to show me what to do and to take care of the consequences.”
CAST AWAY YOUR CARES
Anxiety is so debilitating. Body, mind, and spirit can plummet when filled with it, and no one is immune to its effects. But God, in His love and care for you, will take your anxiety onto Himself – just simply cast it to Him. Hurling or throwing something takes focus and force so the object being thrown lands far away from your presence. When you cast your anxiety on God, it gets caught up in His mercy net where He receives the weight anxiety brings and replaces it with His comfort and calm. Nothing is too small or too big – just cast.
Lord, it is so hard not to worry, but I know I shouldn’t. You have taken care of me in the past, so I know You will today and in the future. I cast my cares to You now and trust that You are with me and You will provide.
CONCLUSION
Imagine never worrying about anything! It seems like an impossibility.We all have worries on the job, in our homes, at school. But Paul’s advice is to turn our worries into prayers.
Do you want to worry less? Then pray more! Whenever you start to worry, stop and pray.
Stay Blessed!
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Health experts generally agree that mental health is not simply the absence of illness but the presence of qualities that allow individuals to live fulfilling and purposeful lives. Among the most recognised components are:
Wellbeing – This refers to emotional stability, peace of mind, and the ability to maintain balance during life’s ups and downs. In Islam, gratitude (shukr) is emphasised as a foundation of wellbeing: “If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favour].” (Qur’an 14:7). A thankful heart fosters optimism and resilience, reducing stress and anxiety.
Personal abilities – Mental health involves recognising one’s strengths and limitations and making productive use of them. The Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. highlighted the value of strength, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual: “The strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak believer, while there is good in both.” (Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2664).
Coping strategies – Resilience is essential for managing stress and adversity. The Qur’an provides reassurance: “Indeed, with hardship comes ease.” (Qur’an 94:6). Effective coping prevents temporary setbacks from becoming long-term crises.
Productivity – A sound mind enables individuals to contribute positively to their work, studies, or trade. Islam values effort: “And that there is not for man except that [good] for which he strives.” (Qur’an 53:39).
Contribution to society – Good mental health extends beyond the individual, fostering social harmony. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم taught: “The best of people are those that bring most benefit to the rest of mankind.” (Daraqutni, Hasan Hadith).
Together, these components demonstrate that mental health is both a spiritual and practical pursuit, aligning Islamic principles with modern psychology.
The Islamic perspective on mental health
Islam does not deny the reality of psychological suffering. The Qur’an and Sunnah acknowledge sadness, anxiety, and grief as natural human experiences. For example, Prophet Yaqub (Jacob, peace be upon him) cried until he lost his eyesight due to grief over Yusuf (Joseph) (Qur’an 12:84). This demonstrates that emotional distress is not a sign of weakness in faith but part of the human journey.
The Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم also recognised worry and sadness. One of his daily supplications was: “O Allah, I seek refuge in you from worry and grief, from incapacity and laziness, from cowardice and miserliness, from being heavily in debt and from being overpowered by men.” (Sahih Bukhari, Hadith 6369).
Classical scholars also wrote extensively about emotional balance. Imam Al-Ghazali, in Ihya Ulum al-Din, discussed the purification of the heart from diseases such as envy, arrogance, and despair, which today parallel cognitive and emotional disorders. Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya emphasised patience (sabr) and hope (raja’) as remedies for distress, noting that despair is among the gravest of spiritual illnesses.
Crucially, Islam encourages seeking medical treatment. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Make use of medical treatment, for Allah has not made a disease without appointing a remedy for it.” (Sunan Abu Dawud, Hadith 3855). Thus, combining prayer, counseling, and medical care is part of a balanced Islamic approach.
- Imam Alhaji Saeed
Abdulai, the Author
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Finally, how can we become holy? Holiness only results from a right relationship with God by believing in Jesus Christ as Saviour (accepting His gift of eternal life). If we have not placed our faith in God’s Son alone to save us from our sins, then our pursuit of holiness is in vain. So, we must first make sure we are born again believers – John 3.
If we truly are believers, then we recognise that our position in Christ automatically sets us apart from the world – 1 Peter 2:9. After all, we have a relationship with the living God! Then we must daily live a set-apart life, not trying to “blend in” with the world, but instead living according to God’s Word as we study the Bible and grow in it.
In Mark 7:9-16, the Lord Jesus tells us that the way we think is what defiles us and robs us of truth and holiness. The Pharisees had replaced God’s rules of faith and holiness with their own rules and regulations which they tried to force people to follow.
They saw themselves as experts of God’s word but promptly added so much to it that it was no hope of God. It is idolatry to claim that our interpretation of God’s word is as important as God’s word itself, and it is especially dangerous to set up unbiblical standards for others to follow.
We should always look to Christ Jesus for guidance about our behaviour, for He alone is the visible image of the invisible God as we read in Col. 1:15-19:
“The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything He might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him.”
Walking in the truth and holiness
Paul’s epistle to the Ephesians speaks a lot about walking in truth and holiness. I would like to focus on what he says as a means of grasping the sheer privilege of being God’s channel for truth and holiness. This is found in Eph. 4:17-32 and I shall take it by the verses.
Introduction
- In Eph. 4:1, we saw where Paul began to describe our “duty” to “walk worthy of the calling with which you were called.”
- In doing so, he first called us to “walk together in unity” by admonishing us to:
a. Display the “attitude” crucial for maintaining unity – Eph. 4:2-3;
b. Understand the “basis” of the unity we have in Christ – Eph. 4:4-6;
c. Utilise the “gifts” given by Christ to His church that serve to keep the body of Christ together and growing – Eph. 4:7-16. - In the last half of chapter four – Eph. 4:17-32, Paul continues to describe the sort of “walk” that is worthy of our calling, especially as “a holy temple in the Lord.”
a. Whereas the first half emphasised “Walking Together in Unity;”
b. This section emphasises “Walking in Truth and Holiness.”
- Rev. Dr Joyce Aryee,
the author
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