“Do not be anxious about anything.” (Philippians 4:6a NIV)
Anxiety. Wow, where do we start with this. If you google ‘coronavirus anxiety’ you will find 923,000,000 results! No, I haven’t reviewed them all. But it is safe to say that there is a ‘virus’ spreading around the world which is infecting far more people than coronavirus and that is anxiety. The dictionary defines ‘anxiety’ as “distress or uneasiness of mind caused by fear of danger or misfortune” and I would add ‘uncertainty’ and ‘extreme change’ to the list of causes of anxiety. There can scarcely be a person across the globe who has not experienced some degree of anxiety over the last month, whether that was simply some unease or whether it has taken much more dramatic and serious forms. The first thing I want to say, is that I think some degree of anxiety is normal and to be expected in the extreme circumstances we are living. Most people can only cope with a certain amount of change and uncertainty in our lives and yet here we are with almost everything seeming to change. So, my first encouragement to you is to not beat yourself up, if you have moments of feeling anxious. Recognise it and accept that it has appeared. But then the question is, how do we manage it, overcome it and move beyond anxiety.
It is interesting when we look at this passage, that this section is the only negative command, as in a “do not” as opposed to all of the rest which are “do” or “be” commands. Paul is recognising that we need to confront anxiety head on and call it out. Trying to pretend that everything is OK is not good. At this point, I want to highlight that if you are struggling with anxiety at the moment, especially if you find you are not able to function normally and are not eating properly or finding yourself overcome with worry, please do speak to someone soon, be it a friend, a pastor, your doctor or a counsellor. There is nothing weak in saying, ‘help!’
But in a more general sense, how do we cope with anxiety and worry. Well, Paul and the Philippians knew something of worry. As Tom Wright explains of this passage,
“Anxiety was a way of life for many in the ancient pagan world. With so many gods and goddesses, all of them potentially out to get you for some offence you mightn’t even know about, you never knew whether something bad was waiting for you just around the corner.” (Tom Wright, Paul For Everyone – The Prison Letters)
At a time for us where uncertainty is at every turn, what we need more than anything is peace and contentment. We’ll come to peace in a later reflection but today let’s look at Paul’s command to ‘not be anxious’ in its positive form, be content!
If anxiety is the fear and unease that rises with uncertainty, then contentment is the state of being “satisfied with what one is or has; not wanting more or anything else.” Now, this is not being passive and simply accepting que sera, sera, whatever is happening. In fact it comes out of that depth of joy, gentleness and consciousness of God’s presence we looked at over the last three reflections. The Apostle Paul actually unpacks this concept more later in chapter 4, when he says,
10 I’ve been having a great celebration in the Lord because your concern for me has once again burst into flower. (You were of course concerned for me before, but you didn’t have an opportunity to show it.)
11 I’m not talking about lacking anything. I’ve learnt to be content with what I have. 12 I know how to do without, and I know how to cope with plenty. In every possible situation I’ve learned the hidden secret of being full and hungry, of having plenty and going without, and it’s this: 13 I have strength for everything in the one who gives me power. (Philippians 4:10-13 – New Testament For Everyone)
Contentment is not mere acceptance of what is or making sure you do everything to get what you need. As Tom Wright writes,
“Many other philosophers of the time spoke of contentment. They usually, though, developed the idea in terms of self-sufficiency. You should find resources within yourself, they said, so that you could smile at your fluctuating fortunes which life threw at you. Paul has a different view: I am strong enough for anything, he says – because of the one who gives me strength (verse 13).” (Tom Wright, Paul For Everyone – The Prison Letters)
This concept of self-sufficiency is, I believe, one of the greatest reasons for anxiety rather than a solution for it. Whether it is self-help or meditation or tree-hugging or some forms of mindfulness – we cannot think or meditate our way out of the fear of what may lie ahead. Some of our worries are very real and simply thinking our way out, does not work. We can only be content, whatever our circumstances are when we recognise that there is one who knows our every need and gives us strength for every circumstance, whether that is going to work or church as normal or staying at home and protecting ourselves and others; whether it is being in great health or facing the symptoms of COVID-19, because “I have strength for everything in the one who gives me power” or as Paul says yet further on in this letter,
“What’s more, my God will meet all you needs, too, out of his store of glorious riches in King Jesus. Glory be to our God and father for ever and ever, Amen!” (Philippians 4:19-20, New Testament For Everyone)
So, do not be anxious … Be CONTENT!