GUEST WRITER: ASHLEY CUELLAR
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, my siblings, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about[a] these things. As for the things that you have learned and received and heard and noticed in me, do them, and the God of peace will be with you. —Philippians 4:6–9 (NRSVUE)
Anxiety and Youth
Anxiety is on the rise, and our youth are not immune! Mass production of items like fidget spinners and “pop-it” sensory toys indicates that our society is facing anxiety on a large scale. Many schools are implementing programs and protocols outside of the home for dealing with anxiety. They are offering more social and emotional wellness activities and “mindfulness” modalities that help cultivate an inner landscape of peace. In addition to these healing modalities, the Church must address anxiety with spiritual modalities to help cultivate inner peace amid rising anxiety.
Where to begin?
Where can we begin when talking to the youth in your life about navigating anxiety? A letter the Apostle Paul wrote to the Church in Philippi can offer inspiration. Paul wrote this portion of the letter to help the community navigate their anxieties. Like us, the Philippian church faced anxieties and worries that could stifle their peace. The book of Philippians has a powerful and concise message to help address the anxiety confronting our youth.
While anxiety is an age-old part of the human experience, our current moment in history is a particularly stressful time. Especially to be navigating life as a young person. Youth are growing up in an age where the internet has made it possible for them to be aware of every single issue. Whether they have personal access to the internet or not, anxiety-inducing news spreads very quickly.
Biblical Understanding of Anxiety and Peace
The original biblical language provides a deeper understanding of the experience of anxiety and its counterpart, peace. Before looking at the practical steps Paul offers to navigate anxiety, let’s look at the language that he uses to discuss the experience of anxiety and peace. The word for “anxiety” used in this passage is μεριμνάω (merimnaó), in biblical Greek. According to HELPS Word Studies, the root meaning of this word includes “a part, as opposed to the whole,” “drawn in opposite directions,” or “divided into parts.”
Anxiety can catch us off guard and quickly cause feelings of being “divided into parts.” When we worry anxiously, it’s as if our once-whole heart becomes scattered in multiple directions. This divided heart can affect our overall well-being or our peace. The word for “peace” in biblical Greek is εἰρήνη (eiréné). The root of this word means “to join, tie together into a whole” (HELPS Word Studies). While anxiety causes division within us, peace brings wholeness within us.
Pray, Think, and Practice
So how might faith leaders help youth transform their divided, anxious hearts into whole, peaceful hearts? Here are three invitations to share with your youth:
Pray
In this biblical letter, we are invited into a relationship with God in which we pray about all things. I like that this scripture uses the words “anything” and “everything.” Do not worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Our youth are facing everything. In such a sensitive developmental time of life, they face the challenges of transforming as they grow while also confronting the harsh realities of this world. We expect youth to study, recreate, have an active social life, nourish family life, deepen in their faith, discover their gifts and purpose, AND face the hardships of this world as the adults in their life do: rapidly at an ever-increasing speed through a constant barrage of news and social media demanding attention. How can we encourage our youth to have a relationship with God where they bring anything that weighs on their heart to God in prayer?
- In action: One possibility is to invite your youth to pray through journaling. Journaling prayer is when youth are invited to write down all the things they would like to pray about that are causing anxiety.
Think
The second half of this passage in Philippians invites us not only to pray but also to think about things that cultivate peace. The text calls the anxious person to pray about everything and then think about, meditate on, and recall the things that will lift the soul back to a peaceful place. These things are true, lovely, honorable, holy, and praiseworthy!
- In action: Invite youth to remember what has brought peace to their hearts in the past. This might be experiences of joy, dreams or hopes for their future, times they felt surrounded by loving support, scripture about their worth and value in the eyes of their Creator, or anything else that brings peace to the heart.
Practice
The Apostle Paul also encourages the community to practice the things that cultivate peace. He asks the community to remember and think about all they have learned about the ways of the Lord and to practice those things as one might practice a regular habit.
- In action: Dialogue with the youth about how to practice peace. Create a personal or group invitation to practice peace in the coming days.
May these invitations bring peace to the anxiety our youth face!
For further connection on this topic, consider our Lord’s Prayer Sticker Sheets to help prompt connection to God in prayer for everything our youth face.
Ashley Cuellar
Ashley is passionate about living an embodied life of love toward God, self, and others. As a local pastor in the United Methodist Church, she currently serves a congregation in Austin, Texas where she pours her energy into innovative ministry within the community. Outside of her ministry endeavors, you can typically find her with her loved ones or in the great outdoors, usually hugging a tree.
Leave a Reply