Be Anxious for Nothing: 4 Keys to an Anxiety Free Life

By Rhonda Jones

There is a little bit of “Type A” in all of us. That trait that wants to get things done, accomplish our goals, and live our best lives, with urgency.  In this credit card society, we want it all now and will often go to great lengths (and sometimes into a lot of debt) to get it. In some cases we may work overtime or long hours, create action plans, on brainstorm lots of ideas to help us reach our desired destination. We can become so obsessed with what “we” want that it takes most of our mental and physical energy and other areas in our life suffer as we pursue our purpose, goals, or dreams.

We know from scripture that Yeshua tells us to “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.” (Philippians 4: 6-8)  Right here the Lord Messiah tells us the process for meeting every need and fulfilling every want and having total peace about it.

In simplest terms, we ask God for it, we thank Him in advance, and then we wait upon Him to provide! What is it that we thank Him for? For doing exceedingly abundantly above what we could ask for, imagine or even think.  (Ephesian 3:20) Romans 8: 28 also gives us reassurance that God is working out ALL thing for our highest good. It reads, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him and who have been called according to his purpose.”  When God takes our request, He answers it based upon our highest good and highest good of those around us. This could mean we get exactly what we ask for, something tweaked a bit, or something entirely different all together, based upon Gods’ best plan for us in light of his purpose.

Once we make the request with thanksgiving, the scripture says that the “peace of God that passes all understanding shall rule our hearts and minds in Christ.” That is if we leave it with God and trust Him with the outcome.

When we can formulate our request and give them to Yah and then trust Him to answer them in his perfect way and perfect timing, we can release all human effort, strain, or striving to make things happen in our own way and our own time.  We can then wait on God for the answer and use all that anxious time, energy or busyness to delight ourselves and rest in Yeshua. We can use that extra time to worship God, meditate on his word, abide in his presence, spend time with family and friends, encourage or pray for others, devote more time on self-care or personal development, and/or health and wellness.

While we’re doing these things instead of being anxious about a desired outcome, we draw closer and closer to God and become more sensitive to his voice, so that when he gives us a strategic movement, we are ready to move on it and do it right away. When we move when Yah says move, the windows of heaven open up and pour down a blessing that is so much bigger than we can create for ourselves. There is no over-exerting yourself, instead you just ask Yah, delight yourself in Him, stay in the present moment, and then be ready to take action when God tells you too. Just think how more stress free life could be if we take this approach to getting what we want? Let him help you create a plan and then work the plan he gives you, but for certain, whatever Yah’s gives you to do will be for your highest good. It will be in balance and you’ll stay in perfect peace physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Read the story in Luke chapter 5 of the disciplines who followed Jesus’s command to let down their nets on the other side of the boat after they had been fishing all night and caught nothing. Jesus comes along in the morning and says something like, “Hey guys, cast your nets over here where the fish are biting.” They may have responded, “Jesus, we been here all night and the fish just aren’t biting, but if you insist.” So reluctantly, because their experts of course, they followed his command and Jesus supernaturally blessed them with so many fish that all the fisherman in the area were able to get a boat full. We must move when God says move!

One thing I’ve realized is that Yah wants to get the glory for what He does in our life. I believe he’s just waiting and waiting and waiting some more for us to really take Him at his word so He can show us his supernatural power, but more often than not we don’t give him many opportunities to use it. Even if we do pray, or make our request be made known to him, how quickly do we get out of faith and into fear, or revert right back to our old habits of self-sufficiency. When we operate like this we literally get in God’s way.

Four important keys along with scriptures come to mind, we as it relates to receiving from God:

1. We must ask God for what we want in order for Him to provide it for us. “You do not have because you do not ask ” (James 4:2) “Ask and it will be given you…”(Matthew 7:7)  

2. We ask with the wrong motives. The things we ask for have become our gods or idols. “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” ( James 4:3 ) We need to check ourselves to see whether we are worshiping the creation versus the Creator.

3. Everything is a gift of God! There is no sorrow or regrets attached to God’s gifts. “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:17) We can’t create anything.  “And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black.”  (Matthew 5:36) God wants to bless us when we align ourselves to His Word and ways, but the ULTIMATE GIFT of Yah is an intimate and growing relationship with Him.

4. With faith and patience we receive every promise. “That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. “(Hebrews 6:12) We must learn to wait patiently on God which offers us many opportunities to cast our cares upon Him, grow closer to Him and delight ourselves in His presence.

All four of these principles must be believed and activated if we really want to receive God’s best and live an anxiety free life. In simplest terms:

• We must ask God!
• We must ask with the right motives (God-centered or creation-centered life-style?)
• We must recognize Him as our Source and the affection of our heart.
• We show that we trust him by staying in faith regardless of the physical appearances and waiting on God to do in his timing.

Things to Remember:

Once you have done the following, detach yourself from the outcome and check your motives. Resist the temptation of getting caught up in the “American Dream” whether you live in America or not. God knows what you need before you even ask. Don’t get side tracked by laying up for yourself treasures on earth that have no spiritual value. In light of eternity, this is a big waste of time. We are so much bigger than that. But the only way to truly get on God’s plan instead of our own is to get close to Him and through this closeness, intimacy and sensitivity, let him lead you moment by moment down the road he has for you. Release the need to know the whole plan all at once. Just follow his leading and move when he says move and when you don’t have any specific order, delight yourself in him and get prepared for his future instructions when they come.

Live not to obtain or to receive, but live for the mere purpose of fellowshipping with Yah and aligning your life closely with His, and being ready for Him to use you or work through you to bring about his purpose and kingdom here on Earth.

Doesn’t that seem more exciting than buying a new house or getting a new car? Yah wants to expand your soul not your pocket book! He wants to prepare you for the eternal heaven and not heaven on earth.

Need to establish a daily quiet time to draw closer to God and build your faith? Check out my Power Hour Morning Routine to support you in living  an anxiety free life.