Darby Saxbe, a clinical psychologist at the University of Southern California, said that for many young people, claiming an anxiety crisis or post-traumatic stress disorder has become like a status symbol. Saxbe said, “I worry that for some people, it’s become an identity marker that makes people feel special and unique. That’s a big problem because this modern idea that anxiety is an identity gives people a fixed mindset, telling them this is who they are and will be in the future.” (from article in The Atlantic,12-13-23)

It’s not only young people who fixate on problems that cause anxiety. Whatever stage of life we find ourselves in, we can allow problems to overwhelm us to the point where they snuff out joy, interrupt our sleep, and weigh us down with constant dreariness. How do we combat the temptation to let problems overwhelm us? The Bible gives us many answers, but let’s focus on what the article above says: anxiety can become our identity. When that happens, we must remember our true identity of who we are in Christ.

We are a child of God, forgiven, loved, and redeemed through Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection. “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” (1 John 3:1).

As such, we are a new creation. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Because these things are true, we can come to our heavenly Father and cry out for help with our overwhelming problems. Psalm 116:1-2 says, “I love the Lord, because He listens to my prayers for help. He paid attention to me, so I will call to Him for help as long as I live.”

Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

We will never find rest for our souls by focusing on our problems. As we remember who we are in Christ and spend time getting to know Him in the Word, our anxiety fades away. Max Lucado wrote the following in God’s Inspirational Promise Book:

“We don’t give up. We look up. We trust. We believe. And our optimism is not hollow. Christ has proven worthy. He has shown that He never fails. That’s what makes God, God.”

May we rejoice that we are children of a loving, compassionate God! When problems threaten to overwhelm us, may we meditate on who we are in Christ. May we turn to our gracious Lord and Savior who understands our weakness. He died and rose again to replace our anxiety with peace, our fear with courage, our doubt with faith. Praise His holy name!

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