Is Anxiety a Sin?

For years, I believed that anxiety was a sin, and I punished myself for it daily. However, I'm happy to report that the amount of times I beat myself up during the week has decreased drastically with the help of the Holy Spirit. It's beneficial to remember that anything can become a sin when we put it above God, so in no way am I condoning sin or anxiety, but there are a lot of details to comb through. Anxiety comes in many shapes and sizes. Not all forms are created equal.

Worry

Worry is a form of anxiety. God the Father and Jesus the Son tell us not to worry because God is with us. In Matthew 6:25-34, Jesus tells His disciples not to worry four times. Each time, He gives them a reason why worry is unnecessary. These scriptures make me wonder if I'm sinning each time I worry about what I'm wearing or what I'll eat that day because children of God aren't supposed to worry about such things.

God might get frustrated when we worry about something, but His compassion for us outweighs that. When I attempt to understand God's compassion, I look to my children. If they disobey me I might get frustrated because they chose the poor option with no benefits, but I don't get so upset that I give up on them. I take time to get my words just right. I seek God for guidance and my love for them never breaks.

Notice this beautiful passage in Isaiah: "I will be your God throughout your lifetime—until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you" (Isaiah 64:4, NLT). You can almost hear the compassion in God's voice as you read this scripture. This is why we are called away from anxiety and worry because He has us.

As I mentioned, sometimes I do catch myself becoming anxious over what I should wear or what I should eat in a day, but the Holy Spirit reminds me of God's Word. "That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?"(Matthew 6:25-26). When I recall these scriptures, I smile!

God has drawn my attention to the birds over the past five years, so I know these scriptures to be true! I love watching the birds of the air because I see how God takes care of them, and Jesus said I am far more valuable than them! If you ever get into admiring birds, you'll see how magnificent, complex, and intelligent they are. There are so many birds that most of us take their presence for granted, but I know their significance well, and watching them over the years has reduced my worry over what I will wear or eat. You should see me. I used to get all spruced up just for working around the house. But now I wear whatever is at the top of the pile in my drawer because it doesn't matter!

The way I dress doesn't add value to who I am like I used to believe (And I believed that up until fairly recently). Once in a while, as I mentioned, I still stumble in that area, but as a whole, God has brought me a long way because I surrendered to the truth of His Word! We aren't good little Christians because we somehow manage to not worry about day-to-day happenings, but the more we trust God, the less we worry. It's evidence of our faith and relationship with our Creator.

Fear and Discouragement

In the Old Testament, God tells His people not to fear or worry because He will go with them. "This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9). This is not the only time God spoke these words. Moses spoke them to Joshua and the Israelites in Deuteronomy 31:6. But the word "command" stands out to me. God commanded Joshua to be strong and courageous, not afraid or discouraged. And guess what? I have been scared and discouraged more times than I can count. So does that mean I'm separating myself from God because I'm disobeying His command?

This is what I know: I don't want to worry, be scared, or be discouraged. Those emotions are not fun. But they happen because I'm human. As followers of Christ, we are called to rise above these emotions because of who we put our faith in. God doesn't want us obsessing over things that we can do nothing about, so He tells us not to worry because He's already taking care of them. He tells us not to be afraid or discouraged for the same reason. I've determined that God's command to be brave and courageous is given as a comfort and an encouragement.

Maybe it doesn't feel like God has you. I know that feeling, but I'm here to tell you that it's just a feeling; it is not true. God is always there for us; it's us who lean away from Him in search of tangible comfort. And though we may find tangible comfort, it's always short-lived, just like everything else the world offers us.

When we read God's command to Joshua it is specific to the call He has placed on His life. God has appointed Joshua to be the one to lead the Israelites into the promised land. God isn't calling us to do that; it's already been done. However, he has placed certain works in our path that He planned for us to do before we were born (Ephesians 2:10), and we all are called to the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19), which takes courage!

"Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20, NLT). Jesus reminds us again of His presence as He sends us out to make disciples. And let's face it, sharing our faith is what most Christians are afraid of. Our fear holds us back from sharing the truth, and that is a sin. We will feel fear in doing what God has called us to do, but sin happens when we give into the fear instead of pressing on in obedience.

God tells us not to worry or fear, but we still do, yet I have found solace in Philippians 4:6: "Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done" (NLT). Paul gives us the correct action for worry and simultaneously confirms that we will feel these emotions. I believe that is the key. When we feel afraid, our appropriate response is to do the thing we're afraid to do because we are confident that God has called us to action.

Physical Anxiety

There are times when my body is anxious and it's incredibly frustrating because my mind feels fine. I can't think of anything I'm worried about or even thinking about and yet my breathing is shallow or my insides feel like a Tasmanian devil. In times like this, I pray. I say, "Lord, I am not choosing this, just like I would never choose to be sick. Lord, you can heal me. You can remove these anxious feelings that have no merit in my life." Sometimes He helps my body calm down pretty quickly, and other times it lasts for days. Either way, I remain steadfast in my praises to Him.

I have learned that this type of anxiety is most likely hormone-related. My anxiousness is not a choice in times like these. In truth, my body feels separate from my mind. And just like getting a cold, I get anxiousness that isn't related to worry or fear, so I do what the Bible tells me to do. I trust that God will see me through again, and I praise Him anyway, affirming that while this experience is miserable, it is temporary, like all things on the earth, and I trust God to carry me through.

What Should We Do About Anxiety?

Anxiety can be a sin if you let it rule over you. God is the only one worthy of ruling our lives, and if He's not the leader of your life, call out to Him. Just like He was there for the Israelites, He's here for us today because Jesus made the way. Anxiety is not a sin if it's only something we feel and then choose to surrender to God's authority, obeying our Lord instead. The closer you draw to God, the less anxiety you'll have.

The next time you feel afraid, anxious, or worried about the day, take it to God in prayer. Don't let it fester or attempt to problem-solve on your own. Remember that God has already answered our prayers regarding worry and fear; we need only remember what His Word says.

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Vanessa Luu is a wife, mother, and faith-based writer. She speaks and writes to believers to encourage them to live authentically with God.