Words from Aaron: Navigating Worry and Anxiety in Faith
Dear Members and Friends of First Presbyterian Church of Naples,
I hope you will join me in worship this Sunday at 10 a.m., as I preach on the very practical topics of worry and anxiety and what the Bible tells us our response should be.
Understanding Worry and Debilitating Anxiety
Worry can, at times, be helpful. When I was in college, for example, I worried about my grades. That worry motivated me to study, prepare, and work hard. And, as a result, I earned good grades. In that sense, my worry served a useful purpose. Even today, worry causes me to prepare, whether for a sermon, pastoral visit, difficult conversation, or some other aspect of life. I benefit from that preparation.
But worry can also reach a point where it is not helpful, or perhaps downright debilitating. While definitions might vary, anxiety can feel like a step beyond ordinary worry. Anxiety is a generalized sense of fear and nervous apprehension that can overwhelm rather than motivate. Instead of helping us prepare for what lies ahead, anxiety can inhibit us, leaving us feeling panicked and unable to respond to the thought of what might happen.
Scriptural Responses: The Golden Calf and Paul’s Call to Prayer
This week’s lectionary readings show us what can happen when worry and anxiety overwhelm us. In the story of the Israelites and the golden calf in Exodus 32:1–14, the people become increasingly worried when Moses does not immediately return from Mount Sinai. Their uncertainty grows into fear, and that fear leads them to seek something they can see and control. Their worry and anxiety, their fear, lead to idolatry by creating a golden calf.
Our other reading comes from Paul’s Letter to the Philippians, where Paul offers a very different response to fear and uncertainty. Paul instructs, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Rather than turning to our own devices, Paul tells us to turn to God. Paul calls us to do more than worry; he tells us to trust in God! Specifically, Paul tells us to pray.
He doesn’t ask us to ignore our worries or to pretend that they aren’t there. He also doesn’t tell us to do nothing. Instead, Paul tells us to turn to God through prayer and supplication. What if everything we did was guided by a prayerful and expectant faith that God will guide, prepare, and equip us? What if our response to worry was guided by faith and not fear?
Worship and Fellowship Underneath the Cerulean Cross
Again, I hope you will join me this Sunday underneath our beautiful cerulean cross as, together, we learn how to navigate worry by turning to God! In addition to a morning of meaningful worship, this Sunday is the Deacon's Brunch! I've heard wonderful comments about this annual event, and I am very excited for the delicious food and time of fellowship after the service.
In Christ,
Aaron
Dr. Aaron Janklow
Senior Pastor and Head of Staff
