Fear & Anxiety (not trusting God & our desire to control life)
On today’s episode we vent a little on the parenting challenges of letting our kids experience the consequences for their decisions, but we mostly talk about fear and anxiety. We get into how much of these struggles stem from us trying to control our lives, instead of trusting God and placing our hope and identity in Him. NOTES: This Weeks Whiskey: Rabbit Hole Kentucky Straight Bourbon Oliva cigars - series O Love and Logic (book) - https://www.loveandlogic.com/collections/parents What are some of the factors that lead us to be anxious and fearful day-to-day? A big factor is our perspective. Where are we getting our information from and is it a constant stream of bad information from social media and the mainstream media that taps into our fears and insecurities, to keep us hooked. Stop and ask yourself, does how bad I'm being told things are, actually reflect the reality I'm living... or is there a disconnect between what you are being told is true and the correct state of the world "out there", reflected in your personal life? People will also be fearful and anxious if they have a low view of God. Either God is in control and in charge or He's not. If you are a humanist and don't believe there is a God, then everything in life is dependent on you and that is a crushing burden to bare... how can you not be anxious or stressed with that world view. In his counseling practice, CB says that so many people come to him knowing their anxiety and depression originated within them... but they also think that the answer to these problems is also within them... But scripture tells us that our problem is our sin nature that is within us but our solution to that is found outside of us, in Jesus. The idea that "I can't learn to love someone else until I learn to love myself" is utter nonsense. That's like saying that "I need to become more selfish, in order to learn how to be less selfish". Our problem is not that we don't love ourselves enough. The problem is that we already focus too much on ourselves. The honest person may even outright say, "I don't want to submit myself to anyone else... I want to do what I want to do and be my own god". When we are our highest authority and answer only to ourselves, where do you look for hope if there is nothing greater outside of yourself? Many people crank down on trying to control every aspect of their life, which leads to even more anxiety and fear... especially when things don't go their way or they realize that most of life is totally outside of their control. Psalm 139 - David is calling out to God to search and know his heart. We need to always be evaluating our heart and our level of dependence upon God. No matter how "modern" and advanced we get as humans or society, we will never outgrow our need for God. Human nature, human needs and God don't change, even as societies and technology inevitably will. We are forgetful and get full of ourselves and so we need to regularly be in God's Word, to be reminded of God's truth and give us perspective to what is truly important in life. One of the biggest "proofs" that God wrote the Bible and not humans, is that we would paint ourselves and humanity in a much better light. We would write ourselves as the hero, not the villains in need of a savior. Atheism vs. Christianity: If you are Atheist (there is no God), then it totally makes sense to just do what you want because you are your own highest authority. Why would you want to or try to be good or kind or help others when there is no objective right or wrong and logically, doing what is best for you is all that really matters. Because of God's Common Grace, even non-Christians who don't know or love God can have a better grasp on being kind and merciful though they are in open-rebellion against God. Mathew 6:25-34 - "Therefore I tell you, fdo not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 gLook at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. hAre you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his ispan of life?7 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, jeven Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, kO you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For lthe Gentiles seek after all these things, and myour heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But nseek first othe kingdom of God and his righteousness, pand all these things will be added to you. 34 q“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." The crux of sin is that we don't trust God and take matters into our own hands. Anxiety and fear are a natural result of trying to take back control from God and do things our way and in our timing, instead of obediently waiting on God. God will take care of us and provide for us, though that doesn't mean life will be easy or we'll get everything our hearts desire. Unlike the "prosperity gospel", we don't follow Jesus so that we can live a life of comfort and ease. The reason we pray isn't so much about asking God for what we want but rather about bringing our heart and will into alignment with Gods. It's the challenges, friction and suffering in life that lead to our growth and maturity. Just like growing our muscles in the gym, it takes resistance to make us stronger. Comfort and ease are not what we should be primarily striving after. "Comfort is not healthy to the organism" - Liver King (The hardiest and most resilient people and organisms, are found in the harshest environments) Who is on the throne of your life (you or God) and where do you find your hope? Where do you find your comfort and identity? "Go after a dream that is destined to fail without divine intervention" The Lion Chaser Manifesto - https://www.harvestabq.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Lion-Chasers-Manifesto.pdf Call To Action: Follow us on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/the_old_fashion_dad_podcast/) & Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/oldfashiondadpodcast/) for more content & DM us to connect! Don't forget to subscribe on Apple Podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/old-fashion-dad-podcast/id1513254208) or your favorite podcast app.
