Quest 39 - At The Feet Of Jesus
Let’s talk about some statistics real quick.
In a 2020 survey, 62% of respondents reported experiencing some degree of anxiety. (SingleCare, 2020)
An estimated 31% of all adults will experience an anxiety disorder at some point in
It is estimated that 264 million adults around the globe have anxiety. (World Health Organization, 2017)
Of these adults, 179 million were female (63%) and 105 million were male (37%). (Our World in Data, 2018)
The prevalence of all mental disorders increased by 50% worldwide from 416 million to 615 million between 1990 and 2013. (World Health Organization, 2016)
15 million adults have social anxiety. (ADAA, 2020)
7.7 million adults have PTSD. (ADAA, 2020)
6.8 million adults have generalized anxiety. (ADAA, 2020)
Not Great.
At this point - anxiety, depression, and worry all seem inevitable. We can’t avoid it, it’s just there slowly pushing us down. It’s like having a barbell with a weight that you can comfortably squat on your back, except after a few minutes it’s uncomfortable, a few hours - it’s hurting, and a few years - it begins to feel like it’s killing you.
I know it because I have felt it. Worry, anxiety, and depression are a part of my life. I have preached about it, written about it, talked about it. Yet, there are times that it feels as though it can’t be escaped that no matter what I do, it’s there. Many of you are feeling the same way. I don’t know your exact social situation. I don’t know the struggle that you are going through. I don’t know what is surrounding you.
What I do know is that there is a solution that we can find and while it doesn’t make everything disappear, the weight begins to be lifted off our shoulders.
Philippians 4:6-7 gives us our instructions, “6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”
Don’t worry about anything; instead pray about everything. So simple. So profound. So life-changing.
I will be open with you. I am not perfect at this. As I said, I am a natural worrier. Katie has to hear me talk about it all the time. It’s hard for me. But what I have to do is pause, be present, and pray. If I do those three things, I feel this weight coming off of my shoulders because I am focused on what really matters.
A great example of this is Martha and Mary.
Luke 10:40-42, “40 But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.”
41 But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! 42 There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Mary wasn’t worried about anything. Why? She was sitting at the feet of Jesus talking to him. That’s what prayer is, it’s a conversation between you and Jesus, and when we have that moment it drastically changes our outlook on life.
Martha, while she wasn’t doing anything “wrong”, she was distracted and distraction will always lead to worry because you are in a hurry.
So today rather than worrying about everything. Pray about everything. Sit at the feet of Jesus. Maybe take a thankful walk and remind yourself of the goodness of God.