"Breeding Ground"

"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." Philippians 4:6 

"Be careful (anxious) about nothing." The word anxious means: worried, uneasy, distress, intensely eager. We are told not to be anxious and we are given the antidote to anxiety in the verse above.

 

When we catch ourselves becoming anxious, we must immediately do something about it and take it captive. If we don't it becomes a breeding ground for many other things. Usually, our anxiety involves other people. We have to wait on someone or deal with them in a matter. Because of this we can see how easily anxiety does become a breeding ground. It is a breeding ground for complaining-- why aren't they doing it according to plan? It is a breeding ground for impatience-- can't they move any faster? It becomes a breeding ground for fear- what if they leave me; what if they make me late; what if they don't come through; etc. It becomes a breeding ground for criticism- why are they doing it like that; wouldn't it be better if they did it this other way? It becomes a breeding ground for bitterness- if it hadn't been for them things would have worked out.

 

Does any of this sound familiar? Anxiety doesn't just "dwell" by itself, it wants company, and it produces its own company-- such as all the things we have named and more. And before you know it, you are an emotional "basket case" surrounded by uncontrollable thoughts. 

 

Take them captive before they ever get started, or when you recognize what is happening. If you will do it at the first sign of anxiety, it will not go any further. It will not be able to "breed". You won't have to deal with that whirlwind of emotions, you won't lose your peace and you won't do damage to others by the things that anxiety produces.

 

Have a great day. Anxiety is a breeding ground for all kinds of emotions and sin. So, deal with it through prayer before it has a chance to produce anything else. 

 

For further reading:

Philippians 4:7
1 Peter 5:7