“Our anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strengths.” C. H. Spurgeon

What is anxiety? Anxiety is a common mental health condition characterized by excessive worry, fear, and nervousness. It can manifest in various ways, including: 

Apprehension, dread, nervousness, irritability, restlessness

Rapid heartbeat, sweating, shortness of breath, trembling, muscle tension

Difficulty concentrating, ruminating, negative thoughts about the future

Avoidance of certain situations, panic attacks, difficulty sleeping

Anxiety can be triggered by a wide range of factors, such as stress, life events, or underlying medical conditions. When anxiety becomes persistent and interferes with daily life, it may be considered an anxiety disorder. 

I am a follower of Christ and I believe His Word is true and full of wisdom and has so much to say on the subject of worry. In Philippians 4:6 NIV we find it says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” The following post on Instagram by author @MYMINDJOY on September 24, 2025 gives a concise explanation of a Christ-centered view of anxiety and it came from a Christian Mental Health Therapist and can be found at https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNCF0RtsjC4/?igsh=Z2FsbTQ4dTZtcGF4:

“That being said, we need to understand a few things about anxiety before we continue. First of all, the verse, as it is often translated, sounds more like emotional suppression if we don’t include the rest of the verse. We need to talk about Philippians 4:6 because for most of us It is impossible to live without experiencing moments of anxiety because God gave us our nervous system. And guess what? He gave you anxiety as a response to threat and danger to protect you.

God’s Word says ‘don’t be anxious about anything,' not don't be anxious. The original Greek there is saying don't stay in your anxiety to the point where it pulls you apart. That’s what it means in the original Greek. To say don’t have anxiety ever in the first place is literally impossible.

What happens when you tell someone who's anxious, don't be anxious? You make them more anxious. God knows that you're anxious. He is saying don't stay in your anxiety. Don't let it get to the point where it’s pulling you apart and destroying you. The verse then reads, ‘but in everything by prayer and petition let your request be known to God.’ The original Greek there is actually talking about an earnest prayer - a heartfelt prayer. It is a lament. It is pouring your heart out to God. It is speaking of emotional urgency. This is not a cold religious act, it is an honest raw connection with our God which is so much better than just talking about ‘don’t be anxious’.

Then it goes on to say ‘with Thanksgiving, present your requests to God.’ Neuroscience has taught us that the part of our brain that accesses gratitude can actually shift us out of a trauma response and that is hard to do when we try to tell people to jump there instantaneously, as when we said to them, ‘Just be grateful.’  That is wrong for us to put that on people. What we need to say to them is, ‘After you've lamented and poured out your earnest prayer, your earnest lament,’ which actually sounds a lot like therapy, ‘Then that part of gratitude and thanksgiving is more accessible.’

The original context here is speaking to having gratitude at the same time that you struggle. It’s not one or the other. It's both! We hear this all the time in therapy sessions where anxiety is being felt on a Christ-centered level: two things can be true at once. You can have faith and struggle. You can have gratitude while you are still pouring out your lament before the Lord. It’s actually really good for our brain when we have the capacity to do that. It is reminding us of the goodness of God in the midst of our struggle because he wants to be with us right there in the valley. It says let your request be made known to God.

He wants to know your wants and needs. A lot of therapists talk about unmet needs. A lot of trauma has resulted in unmet needs. Unmet needs for acceptance; for love for safety. Sometimes it's tangible like that. They just aren't enough resources like a roof over our head. We are meant to bring needs to God, not just swallow our anxiety. This verse is not emotional suppression. It's an invitation to a raw and vulnerable connection.”

I am a natural worrier, but I have learned to take those thoughts captive. How have I done that? By recognizing that every feeling I have - worry included - is attached to a thought I have had. We are people of choice. We may not have a choice as to our circumstances but we always have a choice as to how we respond to this circumstances. We can actually choose to think new thoughts and if we can think new thoughts, we can change the way we feel and, if we can change the way we feel, we can change the way we behave..

God’s Word also tells us in Romans 12:2 we can be transformed by renewing of our mind. It says “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will.” And just how do we do that? We put off the stinkin’ thinkin’ and put on the thoughts of God. To put it another way, we put off the lies we are believing and put own the Truth of  God’s Word.

For instance, when I feel fearful, I put off the lie that says ‘I am all alone in my suffering’ and I put on the Word found in John 4:18 that says, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.”

Even if you are not a follower of or believer in Jesus Christ, you will probably be familiar with what is known as the Sermon on the Mount. In the latter portion of that sermon, He addresses worry, saying, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you - you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Matthew 6:25-34 NIV

As Jesus says so eloquently, “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” In other words, what does worry accomplish? Absolutely nothing!

“Anxiety’s like a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but it doesn’t get you very far.” Jodi Picoult, “Sing You Home”

  We spend far too much time worrying about things we cannot possibly change. I would rather not worry about my health. I plan on being wise with my health but I do not fret over it - or my lack of good health. I would rather focus on what I have right before me. I have children who need their dad. I have grandchildren who live to lavish their love on me. I have an amazing wife who I enjoy just being with. The No Parking Zone of Anxiety has a ticket cost of the loss of precious time better spent elsewhere. I choose to live with purpose in spite of my health woes. I don’t have time to fret over anything else. Even my eventual death. Why is that? Because I know I will be with Jesus immediately following my last earthly breath.

Here is one of my favorite passages of Scripture that helps me keep my mind from worry. Found in Philippians 4:6-8 NIV, it says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things.”

By prayer and thanksgiving (gratitude) let your requests be known to God. And then think about all the good things in your life! Leave all your burdens with Him and have the attitude ‘What’s the worst thing that can happen to me?’ If I die, I’m with Jesus…and I will see all my loved ones who have gone on before me - those who have put their faith in Christ - and I will be reunited with my family eventually anyway…so what do I need to worry about? I can’t change anything about my circumstance - except my attitude. And my attitude is one of gratitude for the many blessings of my life. I even give God thanks for Parkinson’s and the ways in which it has enriched my life. I’m writing this book for you in the hope that it will benefit you on your own journey through the disease…so there’s that.

“Worry often gives a small thing a big shadow.” Swedish Proverb

The bottom line is I cannot change my circumstances. All I can change is my attitude towards them. I cannot afford the parking ticket for parking my thought life in the anxiety zone - the loss of time with my family and friends. As you’ll get used to hearing me say, “Ain’t nobody got time for that!”

Dennis Jernigan

This is a chapter from my upcoming book, “Parkinson’s & Recreation 3 - The No Parkinson’s Zone. It is unedited.

Phot courtesy of https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2021/11/01/09/13/sadness-6759823_1280.jpg