“So much of the anxiety that seems to paralyze us and keep us from moving forward revolves around the what-ifs.”

A thought by Kyle Idleman from his book, Don't Give Up (p. 91). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)

Anxiety has the potential to cause us to give up and what ifs can be a major cause of our anxiety can't they?

“Kyle says, “What if there’s another terrorist attack? What if there’s a shooting at my child’s school? What if the economy collapses? What if I never find someone to spend my life with? What if I can’t get pregnant? What if I do get pregnant? What if our marriage doesn’t make it? What if I don’t get accepted?”

Kyle goes on, “Sören Kierkegaard wrote a small book called The Concept of Anxiety. There’s one line in there that always pops up in psychology and philosophy classroom discussions: ‘Anxiety is the dizziness of freedom.’

“For the record, he’s not talking about the kind of freedom we mean when we talk about our freedom in Christ—freedom from guilt and sin doesn’t make us anxious. Kierkegaard is referring to the freedom of possibilities in life, those times when we have so many choices we stall out. Our head is spinning with possibilities. We wish Jesus would show up and tell us what to do.”

Kyle then says, “Instead, he tells us what not to do. ‘Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own’ (Matt. 6:34). A lot of our anxieties fall under the category of tomorrow. That’s where we can lose ourselves in the dizziness of possibilities.

“Christ tells us, ‘Don’t go there.’ Those worries will keep, so stay put in the moment. This alone dramatically decreases the worry inventory.”

It is easier said than done but that is what we want and need to do, isn’t it?

Yes, yes!