Proverbs 31:25 She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.
A recent study after the pandemic has confirmed that almost 75% of Gen-Zs are gripped with the ‘fear of the future’ or “anticipatory anxiety”. People worry about the bad things that might happen in the future. They fear that they might not be able to succeed, they might die early or that they might lose everything and everyone they love. Worry about the future or anticipatory anxiety is like bleeding before you are cut. It is a constant state of worry of losing the job or not being able to pay the mortgage; it is a fear of losing a loved one or about a dreadful disease or early death.
Did you know worrying is a sin? Worry grips the heart with fear and forebodings and destroys faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin (Romans 14:23). Worry anxiety and fear does not proceed from faith hence it is sinful to worry about the future that we have absolutely no control over. Job said, What I feared has come upon me; what I dreaded has happened to me (Job 3:25). The Bible doesn’t talk about the anticipatory anxiety that Job battled with but from his confession we know that he had the fear of losing his children, business and health and he worried himself into chaos!
The Bible is the arsenal to overcome anticipatory anxiety and the fear of the future. The truth is that no force, authority or power can cross the divine bloodline around us. The most influential boss cannot make us redundant; the forecast about recession cannot make us bankrupt nor can any disease and unforeseen incidents remove us from the planet before our time. When the Lord God is our protection no man or demon can come near us.
Overcome Anticipatory Anxiety:
1. Debt: Fear of drowning in debt will steal the joy of today. “Worrying doesn’t take away tomorrow’s troubles; it takes away today’s peace”. It is important to plan our finances, be thrifty and prudent but do your best and then enjoy the blessings. The simple truth is that the blessings that the Lord gives will never turn into a burden and what God gives only He can take. The Reserve bank doesn’t have the final say; Christ Jesus is our reservoir and our source.
2. Disease: Worry about a dreadful disease is an invitation and an open door to illness. God is bigger than the diagnosis, prognosis and hypothesis. Our ancestry might have a record of a disease or genetic disorder that the previous generation suffered from but we have the blood of Jesus infused into us. This precious blood of Jesus is cancer free, diabetes free and hypertension free.
3. Death: It is the breath of God that we breathe in everyday. He determines our birth and exit dates. No disease or diagnosis can wipe us out before we accomplish our purpose prematurely. So, don’t fear death.
“Be a warrior not a worrier”
Proverbs 10:22 The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, And He adds no sorrow with it.
Prayer: King Jesus, help me to think like the King’s kid, a fierce cub that knows no fear of the future. Amen.
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