Interpretation Question: In what ways are humans (and specifically believers) more valuable than other parts of creation? Measured breathing practices may help you manage immediate feelings of anxiety. Try breathing in for 4 counts and breathing out for 4 counts for 5 minutes total. By evening out your breath, you’ll slow your heart rate, which should help calm you down. Application Question: How do you reconcile God’s providence with the actions of created beings? Does this comfort you? Why or why not? To Overcome Worry, We Must Recognize Our Great Value to God

Worry does not benefit us physically, mentally, or spiritually. Proverbs says anxiety in the heart of a man brings depression (Prov 12:25). Typically, we start to worry about something, and it affects our entire mood (and often that of others). Next, we find ourselves down and discouraged. Worry also negatively affects us spiritually. In Matthew 13:22 (NIV), in the Parable of the Sowers, Christ describes the seed sown upon thorny ground as “the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful.” When we are constantly worrying, it hinders our ability to receive God’s Word and apply it to our lives. No doubt, there are many in the church who listen to their favorite pastor’s podcasts every week, read all the new latest Christian books, and yet their labor profits them nothing. Worry stunts their spiritual growth.Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t there more to life than food and more to the body than clothing? Look at the birds in the sky: They do not sow, or reap, or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you more valuable than they are? And which of you by worrying can add even one hour to his life? Why do you worry about clothing? Think about how the flowers of the field grow; they do not work or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these! And if this is how God clothes the wild grass, which is here today and tomorrow is tossed into the fire to heat the oven, won’t he clothe you even more, you people of little faith? So then, don’t worry saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For the unconverted pursue these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But above all pursue his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. So then, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own. If you’re taking other medications, make sure to discuss herbal remedies with your doctor, as there can be adverse reactions. Manage the worries with a positive way to ease how you feel, such as taking some deep breaths or speaking to someone.

Support Groups – List of support groups in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and South Africa. (Anxiety and Depression Association of America) Aylett, E, et al. (2018). Exercise in the treatment of clinical anxiety in general practice – a systematic review and meta-analysis. There is so much advice about overcoming anxiety and worrying that it is sometimes difficult to know where to start and what to believe. This book is brilliant because it helps you understand your problem, and then empowers you to overcome it for yourself. One of the symptoms of anxiety is to search for lots of information, but I would encourage anyone to avoid reading all the anxiety related horror stories on the web – what is the point? Instead, take control of your own life and read this book. It was recommended to me by my cognitive behavioural therapist.” Application Question: In what ways have you experienced God’s grace for today and not the next day? How has God kept you dependent as you waited on his direction or provisions? Why does he often only provide grace and mercy for the day and not the next? Conclusion

If you need more support, you can get free talking therapies like cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) on the NHS. If you find that your worries are taking over your day, it can help to try to manage this by setting yourself some "worry time” – a short period, say 10 or 15 minutes, every day or so before bed to write things down and try to find solutions. Take your circles of control from the previous activity and write down one thing you can do to manage the effects of worrying and one thing you can do to manage the cause. Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.” Thich Nhat Hanh The challenge is to learn what God has given us to help us deal with our broken world. Bad things happen and we’re unsure of our own safety as well as the safety of our loved ones. So . . . we worry. Worry Defined