“What’s at the root?”

Have you ever battled anxiety or depression? I use the term battle because if you have, you know that in facing one or both of these things, it’s a constant fight; they strike unexpectedly and swiftly. It is an unseen foe, that can cause such distress! I have faced these foes and when I battled them, I wasn’t in relationship with the Lord. I had nowhere to put my trust. I had no sure footing to stand upon.

Whenever I hear of Christians battling anxiety and/or depression, I can’t help but think about how it must break the Savior’s heart to see His children needlessly suffer! When we know Jesus, there ought to be nothing that gets in-between us and Him. That’s exactly what anxiety and depression do however, and that ought to give us pause. What’s at the root?

The answer is Fear. Fear is the root of both anxiety and depression. With anxiety, the fear of what’s to come looms overs us, building into ginormous storm clouds, which are dark, menacing, and threatening because we don’t know what the storm will bring. Here in Florida, on any given afternoon, we can quickly go from sunny skies to the sky growing black. The winds pick up, the thunder though audible, is distant. As the storm moves closer, the lighting becomes more frequent and the thunder grows louder. Depression is often referred to as a cloud that hangs overhead. You’ve likely seen depression depicted in a cartoon as being a single raining cloud over a person. Clouds show us an incoming storm, but it’s the sun shining on them in front of the storm that reveals the threat with its indigo hue. Storms never last. In fact most blow in swiftly and are over with rapid speed.

When we experience anxiety, fear attacks us because our mind is focused on the future and the future is unknown to us! But the Lord knows exactly what’s ahead! Likewise, when we’re depressed, we’re keeping our mind on the past. When we’ve surrendered our heart and life to Jesus, by His blood, He has covered our past. Know that His blood covers your present and your future too! Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”  The Word of God also tell us that GOD holds our future in Jeremiah 29:11 which is probably one of the most quoted verses of the Bible, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. ” It’s easy to quote something, but do you believe it? Do you believe that God will give you HIS expected end for you?

The Lord wants you to put all your trust in Him. I don’t know if you’ve ever played poker, (nor am I condoning playing) but when you’re confident you have a hand of cards that will win, you push all your chips forward and say, “I’m all in.” Surrender all your fearful “chips” over to the Lord! Don’t forget– we have victory in Jesus! Push everything that brings you fear (thoughts, what-ifs, emotions) push them to the Lord and say “I’m all in.” You are loved by the Most High God! Believe the Lord and His word that He is with you.

Honestly, is His love perfected in you if you’re feeling fear and it’s outward effects of anxiety and depression? 1 John 4:15-18 says, Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwells in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God has to us. God is love; and he that dwells in love dwells in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear: because fear has torment. He that fears is not made perfect in love.

Be made perfect in His love today. As the old song says:

‘Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
Just to take Him at His Word;
Just to rest upon His promise,
Just to know, “Thus saith the Lord!”

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!
How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er;
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
Oh, for grace to trust Him more!

I’m so glad I learned to trust Him,
Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend;
And I know that He is with me,
Will be with me to the end.

Use these scriptures filled with promises, to know that you stand upon an everlasting, unfailing foundation in Jesus Christ.