Genesis 21:16-17
Then she went and sat down across from him at a distance of about a bowshot; for she said to herself, “Let me not see the death of the boy.” So she sat opposite him, and lifted her voice and wept. And God heard the voice of the lad. Then the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said to her, “What ails you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is.
INSIGHT
-Anxiety in Hebrew is written as deagah & it means fearful, afraid, dreadful, eagerness, pious, solicitous, concerned, worried, tense, upset, troubled & fretful. Anxiety is a feeling of worry, nervousness or unease about something with an uncertain outcome. It is distress or uneasiness of mind caused by fear of danger or misfortune. Anxiety can be classified into : – Panic attacks, Obsessive-compulsive disorder (persistent unwelcomed thoughts causing fear), Post-traumatic stress disorder, Generalised anxiety disorder & Phobias (Mental & Physical). Anxiety can originate from past or childhood unpleasant experiences, diet, medication, genetics, stress, poor physical & mental health, which could lead to drug abuse, insomnia, depression, high blood pressure & low immunity.
-In the above passage, Hagar was filled with fear & anxiety. She had lost hope & given up, waiting for the death of her son Ismail. She prayed expecting a miracle while in the wilderness of Beersheba when she ran out of water. Just as the name Ismail means the Lord has heard your affliction, the angel of the Lord visited them at their point of despair & she saw a well of water. Ismail was later blessed into a great nation by virtue of him being Abraham’s seed.
PRAYER
We give You thanks Father, for we have begun yet another week in good health. We humbly ask You to hold our hands when we are weak, comfort our hearts when we are anxious & visit us at the point of despair. We call on You Lord to remove any form of worry & anxiety in our lives, families & nation. Be with all the candidates, Father in their final exams, be with our political leaders & the elections body during this sensitive time, uphold us financially during this difficult economic period, heal all those who are sick & help us in all our needs. Level all the mountains for us & help us to be still in all things that we may know that You are God. We praise You & give You thanks always. Amen
Daniel 2:3
And the king said to them, “I have had a dream, and my spirit is anxious to know the dream.”
INSIGHT
-King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream that troubled him for days. It was of great importance that the interpretation would be revealed accurately otherwise an account of death established. Babylon; being a nation founded of idolatry, the king placed his trust on the wisdom of sorcerers, magicians, Chaldeans & astrologers. When these people failed to interpret the dream, they alleged that only gods could give the answer. The king thereby became agitated & sort to kill them. Daniel prayed to God for help & the dream, & its interpretation were revealed to him. Daniel & his friends were thereafter promoted to govern the affairs of Babylon province under Nebuchadnezzar’s leadership. Self reliance & relying on idols offers room for anxiety. We are called to believe in God, totally rely on Him & cast all our anxieties to Him, our shepherd & strength.
PRAYER
You are the King of kings, Lord of lords, our Almighty Father, our redeemer & strength. We humbly beseech You Lord, asking You for mercy for the many times we have relied on ourselves & others before consulting You. Have mercy on those who depend on idols for success & shepherd them in Your truth. You are the way, the truth & the life, guide us in all things. We praise You & worship You. Amen
Proverbs 12:25
Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, But a good word makes it glad.
INSIGHT
-Anxiety has been listed as the main cause of depression in the above scripture echoed by medical researchers. Anxious cares, fear, dread & grief; depress the spirit of a man, on account of impeding calamity, anticipation of danger, lack of control in a situation & uncertainty of events to come. Medical research has proven that depression is more of a psychological problem than physical. Depression is caused by stress originating from unemployment, low business, worrying about parents or children, illnesses, failure in achieving goals in life, change in life circumstances, loss of a loved one through separation or bereavement, loss of wealth, worrying too much etc. Other causes include: – reduced level of neuro-transmitters (nerve activity), hormonal change & genetic factors. Jesus tells us to cast all our burdens unto Him & trust in Him. Further, Gods’ word applied in faith & encouragement from friends makes our hearts glad as we find relief, comfort, joy, peace & tranquillity.
PRAYER
We thank You Father for the gift of life & good health. We humbly ask You help all those who are sick & suffering in hospitals & at home. We cast all our cares, fears, sorrows & anxieties upon You Lord, for Your loving kindness & tender mercies endure forever. Renew Your steadfast Spirit within us, that we may fully depend on You Father, in all things. May Your peace that surpasses all understanding fill our hearts everyday. We love You & bless Your name. Amen
Philippians 4:6-7
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
INSIGHT
-The peace of Christ that goes beyond any human imagination is the cure for anxiety & restlessness. It gives rest to the heart, mind & soul in prayer, supplication & thanksgiving. Despite having unanswered prayers & unfavourable circumstances; thanksgiving is a necessary form of acceptance, that God is still on the throne & everything is under His control. At the appropriate time He is faithful to bring all our desires to pass; that all glory goes back to Him.
PRAYER
God of love, source of all life, giver of all grace, restorer of all peace, Who sits on the throne high above all created things, all authority & power belongs to You. We humbly beseech You with thanksgiving in our hearts, thanking You Father, for Your unfailing love & wonderful deeds upon our lives. Many are our plans, needs, desires & petitions, but we ask You to ordain our steps. You are good Father & Your righteousness, mercy & love endures forever. Amen
Luke 12:29-31
“And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.
INSIGHT
-Jesus reminds us that He is our Father & knows exactly what we need in life. He cautions us against worrying; for it is futile & cannot add even a cubit in our status by doing so. In the realisation that we are in the world & not of the world but belong to His kingdom, we focus on His love & grace. He has promised us what when we seek first His kingdom, He will give us all things.
SUMMARY
-Anxiety in Hebrew is written as deagah & it means fearful, eagerness, worry, tension & fretful. Anxiety is a feeling of worry, distress, nervousness or unease about something with an uncertain outcome, danger or misfortune. Anxiety can be classified into : – Panic attacks, Obsessive-compulsive disorder, Post-traumatic stress disorder, Generalised anxiety disorder & Phobias. It originates from past or childhood unpleasant experiences, medication effects, genetics, stress, poor physical & mental health, which could lead to drug abuse, insomnia, depression, high blood pressure, low immunity & other chronic illnesses. Anxiety has been listed as the main cause of depression in Prov 12:25 echoed by medical scientists. They have proven that depression is more of a psychological problem which is caused by stress originating from unemployment, low business, worrying about parents or children, illnesses, failure in achieving goals in life, change in life circumstances, loss of a loved one through separation or bereavement, loss of wealth & worrying too much about ones life. Others include: – reduced level of neuro-transmitters (nerve activity), hormonal change & genetic factors; which are all rooted from anxiety in the mind. Hagar in the Bible was anxious when Sarah kicked them out of her house. She went to the wilderness of Beersheba with her son Ismail; when they ran out of water. She lost hope, gave up & waiting for the death of her son Ismail. As the name Ismail means the Lord has heard your affliction, Hagar prayed & the angel of the Lord visited them at their point of need & showed them a well of water. Ismail was later blessed into a great nation by virtue of him being Abraham’s seed. Likewise, King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream which caused him a lot of anxiety for days on the account of Daniel’s blessings. He sort for the wisdom of sorcerers, magicians, Chaldeans & astrologers to provide the dream & its interpretation. They failed completely & agitated the king who ordered for their destruction. Daniel prayed to God for help & was able to reveal the dream & its interpretation to the king. This resulted to a breakthrough in Daniel & his friends lives; who were promoted to govern the affairs of Babylon province. Christ gives us peace that leads our hearts & minds to rest in His care despite the many challenges that we face daily. We should therefore give thanks to Him despite these problems & needs in recognition that God is still on the throne & everything is under His control. At the appropriate time He is faithful to bring all our desires to pass; that all glory goes back to Him.
PRAYER
God our Father we thank You for this far You have brought us. We have experienced Your love, mercy & grace all the times; we praise You. Increase our faith in You, that we may submit all our anxieties & burdens to You, our Lord & King. Give us rest in our hearts & minds that we may focus on Your kingdom rather than our cares. May Your love & grace abound in us, our families & nation now & forever. All glory & honour belong to You Father. Amen