“The Lord our God is but one only living and true God; whose subsistence is in and of himself, infinite in being and perfection; whose essence cannot be comprehended by any but himself; a most pure spirit, invisible, without body, parts, or passions, who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; who is immutable, immense, eternal, incomprehensible, almighty, every way infinite, most holy, most wise, most free, most absolute; working all things according to the counsel of his own immutable and most righteous will for his own glory; most loving, gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin; the rewarder of them that diligently seek him, and withal most just and terrible in his judgments, hating all sin, and who will by no means clear the guilty.” (2LCF 2.1)
Doesn’t an anxious person need to understand that God isn’t subject to passions as we are? Doesn’t the unwavering immutability of God when understood by the finite mind along with an understanding of His absolute sovereignty and His love aid in moments of deep fear? And isn’t it helpful to understand that God is not made up of parts, such that His love isn’t just one “part” of Him, but rather that He is love (contrast with the idea that He appropriates an outside principle of love based on His own “changeable” whims)? All of these deep theological truths about God are necessary, but most acutely so when we are anxious. Counselors need to know more, not less, about the doctrine of God. Some of the most fruitful counseling moments I have experienced have been in times of discussion regarding some aspect of the doctrine of God (i.e., impassibility, simplicity, etc.). Counselors do not help as they ought, if they misrepresent the God of the Bible. If they misrepresent the God of the Bible, they actually offer idolatry as a solution to human frailty. What we need, and what I need when I’m anxious, is not a God brought down to my level of understanding, who is simply “slightly bigger” than my problems. I need the God of the Bible in all His splendor to be proclaimed to me boldly.
3. We Must Understand Human Beings as Body and Soul
Due to the fall of mankind, human beings are subject to the curse, and our bodies are not as they will one day be. Anxiety often is a spiritual and/or psychological issue, but it can also be the result of our physiology. How we eat, whether we are getting enough sleep, how well we exercise, as well as how our body is functioning as a whole, can all affect the experience of anxiety. Recently my wife, who is not prone to much anxiety at all, was diagnosed with an overactive thyroid. One of the symptoms is that she occasionally, from out of nowhere, experiences brief periods of inexplicable anxiety. For her, this is a felt, physical anxiety, without any thoughts behind it—anxiety experienced, even in the midst of great spiritual joy.
Should she pray, rest in God, open the Scriptures? Absolutely. However, hers is an example of how body function can affect the feelings of anxiety. For many, the body alone is blamed for an experience that really has faulty thinking or spiritual causes as its root. For others, there can be a mixture of both. The point here is that in my work with individuals, I have seen anxiety stem from various causes, both body and soul, and it is important to consider this reality. It is also to this reality of being both body and soul according to His humanity that our Lord Jesus entered (Baptist Catechism Question 25: “How did Christ, being the Son of God, become man? Answer: Christ the Son of God became man by taking to Himself a true body, and a reasonable soul…”), and it is in Him that every believing human will enter into glory.
4. The Local Church Is a Crucial Component to Growth
People are often prone to withdraw from others when they are anxious. However, the body of Christ is crucial in our journey, especially when we are wrestling with fear and worry. We need the God-given rhythm of “one Sabbath in seven” as a pattern in our lives. We can find a balm for our anxious souls when we live according to the creational Sabbath pattern God has given (2LCF 22.7-8). One benefit of keeping the weekly Sabbath is that it gives us one day every week free from the cares and work of this world. We’re also are given a weekly emblem of the rest to come (Heb 4:9-10). Gathering with the saints on the Lord’s Day is crucial, and aid for our anxiety often comes through our relationships within the body of Christ, particularly within our own local church. Talking through fears with a trusted friend, getting biblical counsel from a wise sibling in Christ, and experiencing the accountability of the local church are all crucial in our moments of anxiety. Additionally, the ordinary means of grace, observed each Lord’s Day, serve to strengthen and increase our faith (2LCF 14.1). The Lord ordinarily uses preaching, prayer (1 Pet 5:6-7) and sacraments to grow us and nurture us in grace.
Amidst our anxieties and fears, we need the Word proclaimed and seen in visible signs. This is acutely so when our fears cause us to doubt God’s goodness, covenant faithfulness or His promise to save. The church is crucial, and particularly when we wrestle with anxiety.
