One Simple Answer for Fear, Stress and Anxiety
Sometimes the best advice is more simple than you might think. Case in point: My classroom is right next door to the tech team at my school. It is one of my greatest luxuries! My classroom is also full of computers, so issues do pop up here and there. But almost anytime we have an issue, no matter what the problem is, the tech guys’ first question is: Did you try rebooting it? And guess what? Most of the time, this fixes the problem.
I’m slightly embarrassed at how long it took me to internalize this. If the tech team had a dollar for every time I forgot to just try rebooting the computer before asking them for help, they may be retired in Hawaii by this point.
Sometimes, simple reminders are necessary, and they are just what we need to hear. As I finished studying Daniel with my Bible Study Fellowship class in November, this is what I envisioned happening at the close of the book’s final chapter.
For context: Daniel had just had several visions that were pretty disturbing. They were about coming battles and unrest that he, his people and the world would face. Through these visions, God revealed to Daniel that wicked rulers would not only reign, but they would oppress God’s people and His temple.
And mind you, Daniel was hearing all of this while he was living in captivity as an exile in Babylon. Almost his entire life was actually lived in captivity, but Daniel remained a faithful servant through it all. Even when his circumstances were extremely difficult, he stayed loyal to God, setting an example—for his peers and for us today—of what steadfast faith looks like. Intrigued? Check out the entire book of Daniel! It’s only 12 chapters long, and it includes a lot more than his famous stint in the lions’ den.
But if you fast forward to the end of the book, you’ll see that Daniel has endured a lot but stayed faithful to God through everything for about 80 years. He’s also been the recipient of several extremely troubling visions about the end times. They are so troubling that he has been fasting, praying, and at one point didn’t even use lotions on his skin for three weeks. He was in distress! Then, add to the situation… These visions he had received? He was told to seal them up and not even tell anybody about them.
How do you think you would feel at that point? The words fear, stress and anxiety come to mind immediately for me. How often in life do you encounter situations that drum up fear, stress and anxiety for you?
At the end of Daniel, he was in conversation with a messenger from God. Daniel outright admitted that he felt confused about what his visions meant and how he should proceed with them in mind, and I just love the advice the messenger gave him. Twice! Check it out:
- He replied, “Go your way, Daniel, because the words are rolled up and sealed until the time of the end.” -Daniel 12:9
Translation? Keep on keeping on. All of these prophecies will come about later, but just set them aside for now.
- “As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance.” -Daniel 12:13
Translation? Keep on keeping on. Keeping on living for the Lord! When all is said and done, you will receive your reward in Christ. For now, all you need to do is just continue life as a faithful servant of Christ. God will figure out all the tough stuff. Your job is simply to keep walking in step with the Holy Spirit. Keep reading your Bible, going to church, praying, meeting with fellow believers, serving, worshipping… Keep doing the things that draw you close to God. Keep on keeping on.
How common sense does this seem!? Just go your way, don’t stress and keep following after Jesus. Are you currently in a situation that stirs up fear, stress and anxiety? Take a deep breath, go on your way, and keep following after Jesus. Let’s get more specific…
Is your coworker starting drama? Go on your way, and keep following after Jesus.
Are you in the middle of such a busy season that you feel like you’re dropping the ball all over the place? Go on your way, and keep following after Jesus.
Is your family member threatening you with legal action? Go on your way, and keep following after Jesus.
Did you have a close friend near to death? Go on your way, and keep following after Jesus.
Are you struggling to pay the bills? Go on your way, and keep following after Jesus.
Did someone just get elected to lead your city, state or country who you are convinced will do a terrible job? Go on your way, and keep following after Jesus.
Were you wrongfully accused of something serious at work? Go on your way, and keep following after Jesus.
You get the idea. No matter what you’re up against, you can just go on your way and keep following after Jesus. I doubt you have it worse than Daniel! He was exiled from his home country, swept up into the king’s household to be indoctrinated with his captive country’s culture, targeted and plotted against by jealous peers, thrown into a den of hungry lions, and given visions of scary and devastating future events. And how did Daniel respond? He continued his faithful, godly habits. And when he found himself fearful, stressed and anxious? God told him to go on his way and trust Him to set things right in the end.
So just reboot the computer! I mean, just go your way! Keep on keeping on. The advice you need may be simpler than you think.