Three Thoughts

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6  NASB

Anxious– “for nothing.”  Well, that’s a pretty big order.  “Nothing” covers a lot of things.  Just about everything, in fact.  So Yeshua didn’t have much to be anxious about, right? After all, he had a blessed life. Plenty of friends, a good job, a supportive family, credentials, purpose—even a life mission.  What more could anyone ask?  Of course, Yeshua isn’t writing this.  Paul is, and we know he had issues.

Just exactly what does “nothing” mean?  The Greek verb here is merimnáō.  Its umbrella

covers much the same range of meaning as the English “care”: a. “to care for someone or something,” b. “to be concerned or anxious,” c. “to be intent on or strive after,” d. “to be anxiously expectant,” e. “to be solicitous,” and f. “to brood, speculate, or inquire.” The plural mérimnai is often used for the cares of life which disturb sleep, from which refuge is sought in love or drink, and which only death can end.^[1]

But consider this: “The NT realizes that life is swayed by care. Concern is unavoidable but it is given a new orientation. Liberation from it comes as one casts it upon God, not because God grants every wish, but because prayer grants freedom from care.”^[2]

I think there are three thoughts we can usefully consider here:

1)  “Is anxiety a disease or an addiction?  Perhaps it is something of both.  Partly, perhaps, because for some dark reason you choose not to help it, you torment yourself with detailed visions of the worst that can possibly happen.”[3]

2) “Since the worst things that happen are apt to be the things you don’t see coming, do you think there is a kind of magic whereby, if you only can see them coming, you will be able somehow to prevent them from happening?”[4]

And finally:

3) “That’s what sin really is. You know—not being full of joy.”[5]

Topical Index: anxious, anxiety, care, Philippians 4:6

^[1]Kittel, G., Friedrich, G., & Bromiley, G. W. (1985). Theological Dictionary of the New Testament: Abridged,  p. 584. Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans.

^[2]Ibid.

[3]Frederick Buechner, Listening to Your Life(HarperOne, 1992), p. 220.

[4]Ibid., p. 221.

[5]Ibid., p. 119.