Joel M Bradshaw

24Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one.25Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; 26on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; 27in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. 28And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.–2 Corinthians 11 (with emphasis)

The Corinthian church had been visited by people who called themselves super-apostles and who had claimed to be better than Paul. And these other people brought with them a different Gospel message than Paul had brought. Paul thus therefore recounted some of the things he had suffered in the ministry of Christ as he planted churches. I underlined the one that should come as a surprise. Paul had daily anxiety that he dealt with.

You might be surprised at that. This is the same Paul who wrote this verse.

…do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6, emphasized)

It’s the verb form of the same Greek word. Paul commanded one church not to be anxious, but he instead battled daily anxiety. Jesus also used this word. I underlined the anxiety part.

As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. (Matthew 13:22)

And for my anxious friends, here is your new favorite verse of the Bible.

…casting all your anxieties on [God], because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7)

1. Do not live an anxious life in your own power as if you can solve your worries.
2. When you do have anxiety, take it to God in prayer depending upon His care for you.
3. What you cannot control is an opportunity to trust God. What you can control is an opportunity to honor God.

Paul was worried that the churches he had planted were going to come under the sway of visiting charlatans when he wasn’t around. It’s the same pressure parents feel when they send their children off to college. The idea is to not be anxious, but when you do have anxiety to take it to God, trusting in His care.–JMB