Have No Anxiety /
FIVE Have No Anxiety Foundation Text— Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. —Phil 4:6-7 (RSV)
Notice the phrase "have no anxiety" as covering all possible grounds for anxiety, both inward and outward. We are continually tempted to think it is our duty to be anxious about some things. Perhaps our thought will be, "Oh yes, it is quite right to give up all anxiety in a general way; and in spiritual matters of course anxiety is wrong; but there are things about which it would be a sin not to be anxious—about our children, for instance, or those we love, or about our church affairs and the cause of truth, or about our business matters. It would show a great lack of concern not to be anxious about such
things as these." Or else our thoughts take the other tack, and we Say to ourselves, "Yes, it is quite right to commit our loved ones and all our outward affairs to the Lord, but when it comes to our inward lives, our religious experiences, our temptations, our besetting sins, our growth in grace, and all such things, these we ought to be anxious about, for if we are not, they will be sure to be neglected."
50 / The Open Secret To such suggestions and to all similar ones, the answer is found in our text—"Have no anxiety."
There is no getting away from this upon any subterfuge whatever. All the circumstances may call for an apparently rightful anxiety, but God knows, and he says "have no anxiety," and that settles it forever.
Our Lord develops this, and shows us the reason why we are not to be anxious, in his sermon on the mount.
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly
Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even
Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying "What shall we drink?" or "What shall we wear?" For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.—Mt 6:25-34 The illustrations here cannot be misunderstood. The birds and the flowers are before us continually, as living examples of what real trust is. With them of course it is unconscious trust, but with us it must be an intelligent and conscious act. One who had learned this lesson, thus writes concerning it.
"Long years ago I was in the act of kneeling down before the Lord my God, when a little bird in the lightest, freest humor, came and perched near my window, and thus preached to me, all the while hopping from spray to spray, 'Oh thou grave man, look on me and learn something. Thy God made me, and if thou canst conceive it, he loves me, and cares for me. Thou
Have No Anxiety / 51 studiest him in great problems which oppress and confound thee, and thou losest sight of one-half of his ways. Learn to see thy God, not in great mysteries only, but in me also. His burden on me is light, his yoke on me is easy, for I have only to submit to him and trust. But thou makest yokes and burdens for thyself, which are grievous to be borne, because thou wilt neither submit nor trust. I advise thee to follow my example, as thy Master commanded thee to do. Consider that the bird and the flower are as really from God as thou art; and that their lives are figures of something which he wants to see in thee also. Behold the fowls of the air, for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your Heavenly Father feedeth them?"
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.—1 Pt 5:6-7 (Ps 55:22) We all know the relief it is to give over a care ora burden toa friend whom we trust. And just like this, only infinitely greater, is the relief that comes to the soul that has "cast all its anxiety upon the Lord."
Most Christians act like the man in the story who was walking along a road bowed down under a heavy burden, and was invited to ride by kind friends, passing in a wagon. He accepted the invitation, but still kept the load on his shoulders, and when asked by his friend why he did not lay it on the floor of the wagon, replied: "Oh, it is a great deal to ask of you to carry me; I could not think of asking you to carry my burden too!"
"I have bestowed strength on a warrior." —Ps 89:19
That is, he, upon whom our cares are to be cast, is able to bear them, no matter how great they may be. And yet we, who trust our choicest things often to our fellow-men and feel no fear, are afraid to trust our Lord (Is 12-14; 41:10-11).
52 / The Open Secret Strengthen the feeble hands, / steady the knees that give way; / say to those with fearful hearts, / "Be strong, do not fear; / your
God will come, / he will come with vengeance; / with divine retribution / he will come to save you.—Is 35:3-4
So do not fear, for I am with you; / do not be dismayed, for Iam your God. / All who rage against you/ will surely be ashamed and disgraced; / those who oppose you / will be as nothing and perish.—Is 41:10-11 (Is 12-14) Think of the blessed confidence with which children cast their cares off upon their parents, without a fear, and recall how the parents love to have it so. How often a mother, when her child is tempted to be anxious or worried over something will say, "There, darling, do not worry; leave it all to me, and I will attend to it. Only trust me, and do as I say, and all will come right."
The only thing that a mother asks of her child is that it will yield to her care and obey her voice, and then she will take charge of all the rest. And just so it is with us and our God.
If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land.—Is 1:19 (Jer 42:5-6; Dt 5:27-29) No mother can make all things go right for a disobedient child, and neither can God, in the very nature of things.
"But my people would not listen to me; / Israel would not submit to me. / So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts / to follow their own devices.—Ps 81:11-12 If we will carry our own cards, and manage things in our own way, and follow "our own devices," sorrow and suffering cannot fail to be the result.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart / and lean not on your own understanding; / in all your ways acknowledge him, / and he will make your paths straight.—Prv 3:5-6 A little girl I knew, once brought a bag without a string to her mother to have one supplied. The mother agreed to do it
Have No Anxiety / 53 and began to push the thread through the hem. The child had expected her mother to sew the string on at each side of the bag like a handle, and when she saw the string disappearing inside the hem, she was puzzled and distressed. She watched it a moment, and then said plaintively, "I think my mamma should put a string in my bag when she said she would." The mother looked up from her work reassuringly and said, "Do not be troubled, darling, I am putting the string in all right."
The child watched silently for a few more moments, and still no sign of the string appearing, as it was a little difficult to push through the narrow hem, the tears began to gather, and again the plaintive voice whispered, "I thought my mamma was a good mamma, who knew how to put on strings!" This time the mother saw there was a real need of comfort, and she explained more fully. "See, darling," she said, "I do know how, and this is the best way. Just trust me and wait, and it will all come out right."
The child waited, and in a few moments the string was pushed through, a knot was tied, and the bag hung triumphantly on the little arm. The child looked thoughtfully at it, and then said, "Oh I see. It is just like Jesus. We give him something to do, and he don't seem to be doing it right, and we are just going to worry; and then we think, 'Oh' Jesus knows how'; and we just trust him and wait, and it comes out all right at last."
Unless the Lord builds the house, / its builders labor in vain. / Unless the Lord watches over the city, / the watchmen stand guard in vain. / In vain you rise early / and stay up late, / toiling for food to eat— / for he grants sleep to those he loves.
—Ps 127:1-2 All our care is vain unless the Lord shall take the care also.
And our worry is all a waste if he does take it. Ifa mother sits up late and rises early in order to bear her child's burdens, it is so that the child may rest; and it would grieve her sorely to have the child also try to carry the burdens.
54 / The Open Secret Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. ... Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.—Jn 14:1, 27 Here the Master commands us not to be troubled or afraid.
So that every time we yield to anxiety or fear we are disobeying him.
There are three instances recorded where our Lord rebuked the little faith of his disciples; and yet in each case the circumstances were such that anxiety seemed the natural and proper thing. Similar circumstances would cause great anxiety in many Christian hearts today.
First it was in a storm at sea.
Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!"
He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.—Mt 8:24-26 Their fear led them to cry to him, but they ought to have known that, with him aboard, they could not be other than safe, and they ought to have rested in quiet confidence through the storm.
The second instance was when Peter found himself sinking in the waters.
Then Peter got down out of the boat and walked on the water to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"—Mt 14:29-31
The third was when the disciples were troubled because they had no bread.
Have No Anxiety / 55 Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, "You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? Do you still not understand? Don't you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered?—Mt 16:8-10 Here Jesus refers them to past experiences, when he had supplied all their needs, as a reason why they should trust him now. And I am sure he was grieved at the doubts of his disciples, just as we are grieved when those whom we love and whom we are trying to serve, are anxious and fearful about the things we have undertaken to do for them.
Three instances from the Old Testament will illustrate our lesson. The first is the story of Hagar when she was sent out from her home into the wilderness, apparently to die.
Early the next morning Abraham took some food and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He set them on her shoulders and then sent her off with the boy. She went on her way and wandered in the desert of Beersheba.
When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes. Then she went off and sat down nearby, about a bowshot away, for she thought, "I cannot watch the boy die." And as she sat there nearby, she began to sob.
God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, "What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation."
Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink.
—Gn 21:1419
The second was when Elijah went, during the time of famine, to the house of the widow.
So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked,
56 / The Open Secret "Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?"
As she was going to get it, he called, "And bring me, please, a piece of bread."
As surely as the Lord your God lives," she replied, "I don't have any bread—only a handful of flour ina jar and a little oil ina jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die."
Elijah said to her, "Don't be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: 'The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord gives rain on the land."
She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.
—1 Kgs 17:10-16 The third was when the army of Syria encompassed the city where dwelt the man of God.
When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. "Oh, my lord, what shall we do?" the servant asked.
"Don't be afraid," the prophet answered. "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them."
And Elisha prayed, "O Lord, open his eyes so he may see." Then the Lord opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
—2 Kgs 6:15-17 The causes for anxiety in each of these cases were very great, but God was in each instance behind the scene with his perfect supply, and those who were afraid only needed to have their eyes opened to see it, and be delivered from all their fears.
What then is our part in this matter?
Trust in the Lord and do good; / dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. / Delight yourself in the Lord / and he will give you the
Have No Anxiety / 57 desires of your heart. / Commit your way to the Lord; / trust in him and he will do this: / He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, / the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. /
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; / do not fret when men succeed in their ways, / when they carry out their wicked schemes.—Ps 37:3-7 Seven things are mentioned here. Trust in the Lord; do good; delight yourself in him; commit your way to him; be still before him; wait patiently for him; and finally, do not fret yourself.
So do not worry, saying, "What shall we eat?" or "What shall we drink?" or "What shall we wear" For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.—Mt 6:31-33
Our part then is to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. That is, we must make it the first object of our lives to accept his will and to do it under all circumstances, and then simply trust him for all the rest. No one can in the very nature of things, be free of anxiety, who is not fully surrendered to the Lord; for unless we are satisfied with his will, we cannot trust him to manage for us.
If my people would but listen to me, / if Israel would follow my ways, / how quickly would I subdue their enemies / and turn my hand against their foes! / Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him, / and their punishment would last forever. / But you would be fed with the finest of wheat; / with honey from the rock
I would satisfy you.—Ps 81:13-16 There is no way but the way of full surrender and simple childlike obedience. The Lord knows what is best, we do not; therefore we must leave the arrangements all to him, and must rytnineg t. It
58 / The Open Secret They spoke against God, saying, / "Can God spreada table in the desert?
/ When he struck the rock, water gushed out, / and streams flowed abundantly. / But can he also give us food? / Can he supply meat for his people?" / When the Lord heard them, he was very angry; / his fire broke out against Jacob, / and his wrath rose against Israel, / for they did not believe in God / or trust in his deliverance. / Yet he gave acommand to the skies above / and opened the doors of the heavens; / he rained down manna for the people to eat, / he gave them the grain of heaven.—Ps 78:19-24
Their sorrows came upon them because they did not trust.
God was equal to the emergency, but they did not believe it, and their doubt grieved him more than all their other sins.
And he called the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the Lord saying, "Is the Lord among us or not?"?—Ex 17:7
Here their questioning is called "testing the Lord." And yet how common is just this sort of questioning among Christians, who little dream what a sin it is!
Let our Lord's own words close our lesson.
Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.—Lk 12:6-7 In the face of such an assurance, who could doubt? The sparrows, and the hairs of our head, two strikingly insignificant and valueless things! And yet they are noticed and cared for. Then surely we!
The Sparrow and The Child of God I am only a tiny sparrow, A bird of low degree; My life is of little value, But the dear Lord cares for me.
Have No Anxiety / 59 I have no barn nor storehouse, I neither sow nor reap; God gives me a sparrow's portion, But never a seed to keep.
I know there are many sparrows, All over the world they are found, But our heavenly Father knoweth When one of us falls to the ground.
Tho' small, we are never forgotten, Tho' weak, we are never afraid; For we know the dear Lord keepeth The life of the creatures he made.
I fly through the thickest forest, I light on many a spray; I have no chart nor compass, But I never lose my way.
And I fold my wings at twilight Wherever I happen to be, For the Father is always watching, And no harm will come to me.
I am only a little sparrow.
A bird of low degree, But I know the Father loves me; Have you less faith than we?
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