Anxiety and Fear

1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11

Rev. Dr. Niveen Sarras                       1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11 Anxiety         May 24, 2020

Anxiety is the physical, mental, and emotional reaction to stress. Anxiety contributes to muscle pain and tightness. I have experienced these health problems for many years, particularly during coronavirus pandemic and social distancing that isolated me. You can calm your anxiety through the practice of yoga breathing, also called pranayama. Yoga breathing merely is becoming aware of your breath. To start, sit in a comfortable position. Close your eyes, take a deep breath in, and pay attention to your breath as it flows into and out from your body.

 

The apostle Peter teaches his church and us, “cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you” (5:7). I have been practicing Breath Prayers. I breathe in the peace of Christ and breathe out worry, fear, and anxiety over my family, ministry, and so on. Let us practice. Breathe in Christ’s love… Breathe out his love for another person, and perhaps someone you feel jealous of.

I found that discipline of breath prayers as the best free anti-anxiety treatment. I have less pain, relaxed, and more joyful. Anxiety is my enemy, and breath prayers have helped me to win the battle against anxiety. I found the physical and spiritual rest in this practice.

 

The community of the apostle Peter bored anxiety about their safety as they lived in a hostile society toward Christians.

The loss of status and respect, loss of family standing, loss of friends, perhaps even loss of one’s livelihood and, in extreme cases, of one’s life— these are real possibilities for the Christians of Asia Minor. Peter instructs his readers to cast these anxieties on God (5: 7), another way of saying they must entrust themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good. [1]

Peter’s church members were worried and anxious about their safety and the safety of their loved ones. We are concerned about getting the COVID-19 as more states are reopening. We are worried about our financial status. We are concerned about losing our job and worried about our relationships. Unlike the apostle Peter’s church, our anxiety and suffering are not related to our faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. In other words, we are not in danger because of our faith. Regardless of the source of our anxiety, the apostle Peter is encouraging us to “cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

The community of the apostle Peter suffered because they were living for Christ and refused to compromise their faith. They found the strength to deal with their anxiety and persecution through the Holy Spirit that was resting on them (4:14). The same Spirit is resting on you from the moment you were baptized. This Spirit assures you of the presence of God amid your suffering.

 

Christians in the United States are not imprisoned or beheaded because of Jesus Christ. Western societies are gradually turning their back on our Lord Jesus Christ as culturally irrelevant. While the persecution of Christians in the Middle East and Africa is mostly physical, the persecution of the Christians in the United States is not physical. You are not tortured because of your faith. However, Anti-Christian sentiments are on the rise in our country. Many times, Christians encounter hate speech. They are mocked by their peers at college or work. For example, free Christian speech and exercise of Christian faith are prohibited on college campuses. Atheists have more freedom to express their philosophy much more than Christians. When you suffer on account of Jesus Christ, you should not be surprised as the apostle Peter says, we are called to share in Christ’s suffering. You are meant to carry your cross.

 

The apostle Peter ends with the words of hope to his church. Their suffering is temporary. Even so, the devil is looking to destroy their faith by making their life difficult; God will have the final word. “And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen” (5:10-11).

 

 

[1] Jobes, Karen H.. 1 Peter (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament) (Kindle Locations 7369-7372). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.