Anxiety is Full of Lies

The following is a devotional from David Powlison in the book, Heart of the Matter. Read Psalm 26 first.

Park your mind on what is true (Philippians 4:8). Anxiety is full of lies. What are some of them? First, you believe the world needs to be under your control. Second, you think it is out of control. And third, you imagine that your worry will get it under control. But the truth is that this is God's world. He controls it, and your worry will not change a thing. So when you are tempted to worry, reject the lie that it is up to keep yourself and those you love safe. Especially, reject all lies that contain the word more. For example, "I would be safe if I had more friends, more money, more time, and more respect." Also reject all the lies containing the word different: "I would be safe if I had a different spouse, different family, different job, different house, and different church." These statements are all fundamentally false. Ask God to help you anchor your mind on what is true, and then you will be able to tackle your real problems in the right way.