According to the National Institute of Mental Health, anxiety disorders are reaching epidemic proportions. It’s enough to make us wonder if the apostle Paul was out of touch with reality when he wrote, “Be anxious for nothing.”
“Be anxious for less” would have been a sufficient challenge. Or “Be anxious only on Thursdays.” But Paul doesn’t seem to offer any leeway here. Be anxious for nothing. Nada. Zilch. Zero. Is this what he meant? Well, not exactly. The Lucado Revised Translation reads, “Don’t let anything in life leave you perpetually breathless and in angst.” The presence of anxiety is unavoidable, but the prison of anxiety? That’s optional.
