Week of November 23, 2025
Immune: Anxiety
Life has always been an anxious journey. For even in times of relative peace and security (which is certainly true of America in the last 50 years), there are always threats to our personal security: financial setbacks, health issues, job loss, loss of loved ones, social turmoil, and uncertain futures, among them. There will always be triggers for anxiety. Yet we can gain a substantial measure of immunity to such worry as we look to God as our source of security and find freedom and strength in his promises.
Monday | 2 Kings 18:32b – 19:7
Ancient Israel was sandwiched between the aggressive military powers of Egypt to the south and a succession of empires (Assyria/Babylonia/Persia) to the north. In King Hezekiah’s time, the northern kingdom of Israel had already been sacked by the Assyrians, and in today’s Scripture, now Hezekiah’s southern kingdom of Judah was being threatened. What was the message of the Assyrian military commander to the people of Judah? What was his “theological” claim (see v. 35)? How did Hezekiah respond? What was the prophet Isaiah’s assurance? Where do you find your source(s) of security in an inherently insecure world?
Tuesday | 2 Kings 19:14-22
The story continues with Hezekiah praying to God. What does Hezekiah believe about God? What do you believe about God? What makes God different from all the gods of surrounding nations? What reason does Hezekiah give in asking God to deliver Judah from the Assyrian threat (see v.19)? What reason does God give through the prophet Isaiah (see v.22)? How can we use prayer as a strategy for dealing with our own anxiety?
Wednesday | Matthew 6:25-34
In Jesus’ day, one of the greatest sources of anxiety for the majority of people was whether they would be able to eat enough that day or even eat at all. It was an age of relative scarcity. Yet Jesus teaches that we need not worry about God’s provision because he cares for his people more than for other living things. He provides for them. He will provide for us. To what degree are matters of money and provision a source of anxiety for you? In our land of abundance, what are typical worries regarding the future? What helps you to have confidence in God for your future (and that of your children and grandchildren)?
Thursday | Philippians 4:4-9
Happy Thanksgiving Day! In this Scripture, the Apostle Paul connects not being anxious with being prayerful and thankful. How can thanksgiving help you resist anxiety? What other practices help you experience “the peace of God”? What does it mean for you to think about that which is noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy? How do you guard your mind and heart in this age of cynicism, negativity, and falsehood?
Friday | Hebrews 12:1-3
Pastor Mark’s experience with running races is that they are hard and even anxiety-producing. “Can I run up my potential? Will I finish well? Will I finish at all?” So the race of faith is hard and even anxiety-producing, as Satan loves to get us to question God’s faithfulness as well as our own. How does anxiety hinder us in our running by faith? What does the writer state is key to running the race with perseverance? How do you keep your eyes on Jesus? In what ways does keeping Jesus in view reduce anxiety and lead to peace?
