Worry is common to us all, and yet some worry can become so overwhelming that it dominates a person’s life and thought. In counseling I see a lot of anxious people. I can relate to them because I know what it is like to be overcome by fear and worry. I can help them because God’s Word has much to say about anxiety. This month we’d love to equip you to battle your own anxiety or to help a loved one wrestle with theirs. Cornerstone Counseling Ministry is hosting its second of three workshops for 2016 on April 23rd, and our topic will be anxiety. Come learn how to think theologically about anxiety, how to find God’s wisdom regarding the struggle, and what practical things can be done to wrestle it.
God’s Word has much to say about worry and fear. Despite what some claim, it is not simply a psychological or emotional issue, it can also be a spiritual issue. As such God’s Word offers insight in understanding its origins, motives, and triggers. In this upcoming seminar we will seek to clarify our definition according to God’s Word, which allows us to distinguish between responsible concern and sinful worry. We will also seek to identify the relationship of our worry to our spiritual lives which will equip us better to find solutions and hope for our fear. There are biological and physiological associations and even causes to some worry, we will discuss that in brief, but our larger focus will be on the spiritual side of this equation.
The Scriptures also offer explanations for arresting anxiety, fighting it, and stewarding our fears for spiritual growth. Perhaps we can’t simply make fear go away, or shut off worry, but we can control our thoughts and let our fears drive us to the God of peace. We will seek God’s wisdom on these issue and frame our understanding of worry against the backdrop of God’s character and redemptive narrative. A Biblical Theological framework will help us to think rightly about worry in God’s world. Since worry often reveals what we love it will also help us to evaluate our own hearts in the midst of our suffering and identify any sin that we can repent of and work against.
This seminar will also equip us to think practically. There are many things we can do to fight anxiety and we will explore a host of these practical steps. Apart from the Spirit of God they will not likely make a lasting difference, but in conjunction with spiritual counsel they can provide a great deal of encouragement and support in the fight against worry. A number of helpful counselors and authors will be referred to and consulted as we seek to map out a plan of action against worry, and participants will get samples of exercises and homeworks that they can utilize in their own life or in their counseling.
The seminar will run from 9-noon and anyone is welcome to attend. We encourage reading and preparation ahead of time so that students can participate in the discussion, an agenda is available on the Cornerstone Counseling Ministry Facebook page which includes a selected bibliography. The ubiquity of worry requires that we be prepared to address it in our own hearts and in our churches and families. This seminar will not cover everything, but it will serve as a good introduction to the subject and the Bible’s wisdom on it. I hope you will consider joining us on April 23rd at CBC.
Pastor Dave Online 