Realizing our weakness, our Lord Jesus Christ gives us three exercises, three simple truths to consider in faith, three truths that can help us to let go of stress and anxiety, and bring comfort and peace in the midst of life’s uncertainties.

The first exercise is a study of nature. The birds and the bees, the plants and the animals—everything we see around us has been made by God and continues to be sustained by him. Even after the Fall, there is much beauty that remains in this world, and God cares for all of it. He provides food for the lion, he provides food for the bird and the fish of the sea. Of course, in his provision, nothing is instant and magical. He works through means. Birds fly and look for seeds or insects. Fish swim in search of plankton, lions hunt for their prey. There is work that must be done to live, but it is work that can be done without stress and anxiety. Such is what we see in nature, and it should lead us to conclude that God will most certainly care for us. As those made in his image, we are far more valuable than any other creature. As those redeemed by the blood of his Son, we are loved beyond our imagining. If God has given us life, he will care for that life even as he cares for the lives of other creatures.

God’s promise of care and provisions does not mean there will never be hardships or suffering. It does not mean there will not be death or pain. We see such things in nature, and we know that such things also come across our path. The realities of living in a cursed and sinful world remain, but we must learn to experience them as children who are confident of the Father’s goodness and control. We are not children on the street who have to make do for themselves; we are children in a home with parents that care for them and know what is best. That is how we must learn to think of God. He is our Father for the sake of Christ. He has demonstrated his love in sending his Son. He is in control of this world, we can trust him to be working things for our good, no matter what happens. In short, we can give ourselves to pleasing him and seeking his kingdom.

A second exercise to help us in our service to God is a study of anxiety itself. Some of us more than others, we all struggle with stress and anxiety. We worry about where our next meal might come from. We worry about the future of our country, what will happen to our children when we are gone? Where will we find the means to make ends meet? There are a lot of everyday concerns that cloud our hearts and minds. It is good for us to take these concerns to God, to pray about them, to ask for his help in letting them go, to give thanks for what we have, so that we can appreciate his provision, and to remind ourselves that his will for our lives is better than our own. These are some of the things we can do to deal with our stress and worries. But we can also consider the fact that worry has no benefit. When we stress about the needs and concerns of this world, we do nothing except to make our lives miserable and difficult. Worry does not benefit us, it does not benefit others. Like a rocking chair, it brings us nowhere.

Knowing that our anxiety is useless helps us to put it in perspective, but it does not mean that it simply goes away, certainly not when we are in a crisis. Then our emotions tend to take control and panic sets in. Therefore, we have the final exercise, which is not so much about our thinking, but our doing. Or to put it differently, it is an exercise in thinking that should encourage present doing.

We do not know what the future holds. We do not know what tomorrow will bring. We do not know if upcoming elections will result in more stability or chaos. We do not know if our work at an employer might come to an end, if we will be forced to move to a smaller home or a different neighbourhood. There are many uncertainties about the future and it does not do us any good to dwell on them. Certainly there is room for wise planning and preparation, but when it comes to uncertainties, the best thing we can do is to get on with the troubles of this day, the tasks that God has given to us: acting with integrity in our daily conduct, discipling our children using our money in a responsible manner.

Practically, one of the best things we can do when we encounter stress, anxiety, and depression is to get busy with tasks that need to be done. And as we do so, we can be confident that God will look after us. If I should lose my job because I refuse to do something unethical, if I should change where I work so that I can gather with God’s people, if I should fall sick or become injured, I will not be left alone. My children will not be left alone. God has made me part of a church family. He has joined me to brothers and sisters who will look out for me. He has provided an earthly safety net that I can see. I can get on with living and pleasing God—I am not alone in this world.