Anxiety and the Christian Life: The Necessity and Hope of Trust in God – Ft. Ryan Davidson

Can a Christian trust in God and still be anxious? Is anxiety always rooted in sin? In this episode of the Broken Wharfe podcast, Dr J. Ryan Davidson joins John-Mark to discuss what the Bible has to say about anxiety and how the gospel addresses this complex issue.

Dr. Davidson explains that anxiety can sometimes be the result of a lack of trust in God, his sovereignty, his care, and his providential direction. In such cases, Christians are called to repent and to look again to the Lord and his promises. But not every feeling of nervousness or uneasiness is necessarily sinful. Our bodies can experience anxiety-like feelings even when our hearts are resting in the Lord.

Yet the gospel gives every Christian suffering with anxiety wonderful hope. Christ owns the believer body and soul, and has promised to sustain them. The ultimate remedy for anxiety is found in the hope of Christ’s return, when every anxious thought and feeling will finally be gone and every Christian will rejoice in him.

Dr Davidson’s treatment of anxiety is sensitive and pastoral, but also practical and direct. This episode is a must listen for every Christian thinking through anxiety.

CHAPTERS:
00:00 Opening
00:51 Introduction to Dr Ryan Davidson and his booklet “Thinking Through Anxiety”
04:55 Understanding Anxiety: Distinguishing between Physiological and Sinful Anxiety
14:40 How the Gospel Addresses Anxiety
18:16 Practical Ways to Respond to Anxiety
24:46 Putting Anxious Thoughts “On the Back Burner”
35:12 The Means of Grace & the Hope of Christ’s Return