
        
                                     Anxiety
        
                               by Arthur W.  Pink
        
                      "Be anxious for nothing." (Phil. 4:6)
        
             WORRYING is as definitely forbidden as theft.  This needs to 
        be  carefully pondered and definitely realized by us, so that  we 
        do  not  excuse it as an innocent "infirmity."  The more  we  are 
        convicted of the sinfulness of anxiety, the sooner are we  likely 
        to  perceive  that  it is most dishonoring to  God,  and  "strive 
        against" it. (Heb. 12:4)  But how are we to "strive against"  it? 
        First, by begging the Holy Spirit to grant us a deeper conviction 
        of  its enormity.  Second, by making it a subject of special  and 
        earnest  prayer, that we may be delivered from this evil.  Third, 
        by  watching  its beginning, and as soon as we are  conscious  of 
        harassment of mind, as soon as we detect the unbelieving thought, 
        lift  up  our heart to God and ask Him for deliverance  from  it.  
        The  best antidote for anxiety is frequent meditation upon  God's 
        goodness, power and sufficiency.  When the saint can  confidently 
        realize  "The Lord is My Shepherd," he must draw the  conclusion, 
        "I  shall not want!"  Immediately following our  exhortation  is, 
        "but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, 
        let your request be made known unto God."  Nothing is too big and 
        nothing  is too little to spread before and cast upon  the  Lord. 
        The "with thanksgiving" is most important, yet it is the point at 
        which  we most fail.  It means that before we receive  God's  an-
        swer,  we  thank Him for the same: it is the  confidence  of  the 
        child  expecting his Father to be gracious "Therefore I say  unto 
        you,  Take no thought (anxious concern)  for your life,  what  ye 
        shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye 
        shall  put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body  than 
        raiment?"   "But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His  right-
        eousness;  and all these things shall be added unto you."  (Matt. 
        6:25,33)

