Have you ever worried yourself sick with all the problems of life? Why worry? This sermon is for all of us who have felt the icy grip of worry in our lives.

<p>Have you ever worried yourself sick with all the problems of life? Why worry? This sermon is for all of us who have felt the icy grip of worry in our lives.</p>

<p>Free sharing permitted under the Creative Commons <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/">BY-NC-ND 3.0 (US)</a> license.</p>

Amazing Facts

Lowell Hargreaves

The United States of Anxiety

Our Heavenly Father, we thank you for Sabbath.

We thank you that you brought us each from our respective homes to this place.

We pray you would speak peace to our hearts, whatever we face this week.

We pray you would take away today in this study our anxieties, our worries.

Help us to trust you, to find confidence in you as our God.

I've titled our study, the United States of Anxiety.

It was in the fall of last year when the Chicago Tribune wrote an article entitled the United States of Anxiety and they listed 5 different things that are fueling the worries of America.

And there have been a number of individuals who have used the phrase, the United States of Anxiety, in other articles documenting the worries that are plaguing America today.

In fact, a lady by the name of Lauren Ivonot wrote an article entitled, The United States of Anxiety.

And in the article she said, are you worried?

It's the most common mental illness in America, anxiety or worry.

In fact, I understand some 40 million Americans struggle with anxiety or struggle with worry.

3 of the top 10 best-selling drugs today on the market relate to anxiety or to Worry.

And here's a statement from the National Institute of Health.

Anxiety disorders are the number 1 mental health problem in America, surpassing even depression in numbers.

Maybe somebody ought to write a book on worry.

Maybe we ought to have a seminar, make a seminar on worry.

Women suffer from anxiety and stress almost twice as much as men.

I suppose Maybe we should have left out that statistic, huh, ladies?

It's the most common mental health problem facing seniors.

Even children today are struggling with worry.

Now when I was a child, not too long ago, I seemed like I didn't worry about anything.

Mom and dad knew everything, they owned everything, so why did I need to worry?

In fact, most of my clothes, when I got clothes, were from Goodwill or from a hand-me-down.

In the last fall, ABC News had an article entitled recessions toll is written in cutbacks, layoffs, and worry.

I wanted to share some of the statistics from this article.

It says across the country's kitchen tables, this recession is written in cutbacks, layoffs, and pure worry.

Job insecurity is its worst in 33 years of polls now that was about 7 months ago I would say that probably it's even worse today and some of the other statistics as two-thirds of Americans are worried about maintaining their standard of living.

The article went on to say 53% are concerned about being able to afford health care for themselves or a family member.

Concern jumps to 59% among women compared with 46% among men.

It rises to 75% among lower income Americans.

A majority in this group are very worried that they're going to be able to afford health care.

Nearly 4 in 10 Americans, 36%, are concerned about being able to heat their homes this winter.

Well, I guess we don't have that worry anymore now, huh?

Maybe we're worrying about being able to cool our homes.

By the way, in Montana where we live, Wednesday, or maybe it was Tuesday, it was 37 degrees when I got up.

So if you get too hot here in California, just come up to Montana.

But people back in December were worried about heating their homes.

Nearly 4 in 10, that's 37 percent, are worried about being able to keep up with future rent or mortgage payments.

Are you worried about being able to pay your mortgage?

55% of those with incomes under $35, 000 are worried about being able to keep up their basic housing costs.

The article I thought was very interesting, over and over again it said in the article people were very worried.

In fact, I had another article here, news clipping, charities are worried as donations fall.

People are worried about all sorts of things.

They're worried about their job, keeping their job.

Those who have lost a job are worrying about finding a job, people are worried about their stock market portfolio.

In fact, I had a lady tell me recently that her retirement plan had, she had lost 60% of the value of her retirement over this economic crisis.

Time Magazine had an article entitled, cover article entitled, Be Worried, Be Very worried.

If you were to make a list of all the things that you have to worry about how long would the list be?

But I'll bet there's a lot of people here that are, do have, You probably came in today with some anxiety, some worries.

Or maybe those of you that are watching on the internet, on television, are worried about the future.

I want to give you today some encouragement from the Scriptures.

It says, but my God shall supply, how much?

All your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

In fact let's read it repeat it together.

But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

If you need it and God knows that you need it, what will God do?

He's gonna supply it out of his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Now not everything we think we need do we need, right?

When my little girl was young, she's almost 20 now, but when she was a toddler sitting in her high chair, she would sometimes point across the kitchen table when we were having a meal and with her little finger and she'd say, I need some pie.

Parents we know better than our children what they really need, don't we?

God knows better than we what we really need and the promise is if we need it what?

Back to Menu

The United States of Anxiety

Transcript

Description

Sponsor

Recorded

Sound Doctrine