\u201cStop worrying so much.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou\u2019re overreacting.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cEverything is going to be fine. Just look on the bright side.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Even worse?<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYour anxiety is a sign of weak faith.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf you prayed more, you wouldn\u2019t feel anxious.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou need to repent and ask God to take away your anxiety.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The funny thing is, we\u2019ve all heard statements like these and possibly even said them to someone else (a spouse, a child, a friend). But if conquering anxiety is as simple as \u201clooking to the bright side\u201d or \u201cstrengthening our faith,\u201d why do our worries persist? Is our anxiety really just a sin we haven\u2019t repented of?<\/p>\n\n\n\n To answer the question, \u201cIs my anxiety a sin?\u201d we must first answer the question, \u201cWhat is anxiety?\u201d Defining anxiety is far from an easy task. Some define it as \u201can emotion characterized by apprehension and somatic symptoms of tension in which an individual anticipates impending danger, catastrophe, or misfortune.\u201d1<\/a><\/sup> Others describe anxiety as \u201cdistress responses to the circumstances of life in this fallen world.\u201d2<\/a><\/sup> One of my favorite counselors on the topic describes anxiety like this: \u201cNegative feelings we experience when external circumstances threaten something we value.\u201d3<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n When I was six years old, I sat on top of my brother\u2014a toddler at the time\u2014in a small supply closet just outside of my Sunday school classroom as an F4 tornado ripped through my church. My parents and grandparents hid in the hallway and under church pews in the sanctuary. Within seconds, the roof disappeared, and we could see the greyish-blue sky over our heads from our unique hiding spots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Is it a sin that I feel apprehensive when tornado sirens blare outside my window? Of course not! I take tornado warnings seriously because I learned, at just six years old, that tornados are dangerous and threaten my safety and the safety of those I love. In some cases, anxiety is simply a cognitive and\/or physical, God-given, protective response to danger and the effects of sin in our fallen world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In other cases, anxiety could be the result of hormonal imbalances, nutritional deficiencies, or unhealthy lifestyle habits. After living in Ohio for 26 years, I can confirm that Ohio winters are long, cold, and grey, and a lack of sunshine and vitamin D negatively affects your mood and body. Of course, we can make conscious decisions to eat well, exercise often, and discuss our unique physical needs with a doctor. Still, these internal and external factors are only somewhat within our control, yet they impact our everyday embodied experience in the world. While we still must fight to honor the Lord despite how we feel, the fact that we might \u201cfeel\u201d sad, bad, or anxious doesn\u2019t mean we are sinning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Is anxiety a sin? I don\u2019t think answering \u201cyes\u201d to that question is fair. Even Jesus recognized that his people are prone to worry and anxiety in Matthew 6:32<\/a>, even if he did admonish Christians not to remain anxious or worried. We also fault Jesus if we conclude that all forms of anxiety or distress are sinful (Luke 12:50), and we know that Jesus lived a sinless life. Such a blanket assertion could inadvertently cast doubt on the sinlessness of Jesus, which is a foundational belief in Christianity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Similarly, Paul expresses feelings of anxiety, pressure, or distress in 2 Corinthians 11:28 as he writes, \u201cAnd, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.\u201d We can\u2019t fault Paul for longing to protect and care for the believers he loved. You might bear a similar daily pressure to protect your spouse or children from harm, or you may experience distress or concern as you await significant news. Are these longings or feelings inherently sinful? Not necessarily. Can they be experienced sinfully? Absolutely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Scriptures abound with commands to trust the Lord and to turn to him in our experience of fear, anxiety, and worry. Paul even instructs us: \u201cDo not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.\u201d Again, Paul is not saying that if we feel anxious or apprehensive, we are sinning. Otherwise, he would not have also written about his own experience of anxiety for the churches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What Paul means is this: Even in our experiences with anxiety, we have the joy and honor to pray and present our requests to God. Because we have the Lord\u2014our strength and shield (Psalm 28:7-8), a rock and fortress (Psalm 18:2), a refuge and place of safety (Psalm 91:2)\u2014we can experience anxiety with peace. We can experience an embodied existence in a fallen world and peaceful security in Christ simultaneously. We can say to our anxiety, \u201cI\u2019m not going to obsess over you,\u201d because doing so won\u2019t change my circumstances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is dangerous to assume that anxiety can be \u201cprayed away\u201d or that the presence of anxiety is a sign of weak faith. Some of Christ\u2019s most faithful male and female servants\u2014King David and Charles Spurgeon, to name a few\u2014wrestled with soul-wrenching anxiety, yet their faith was great. Like these men and women, you might not avoid anxiety altogether, but you can fight to avoid sin in your experience of anxiety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How can you<\/em> avoid sin in your experience of anxiety? The answers to that question are likely deeply personal, but I\u2019ll leave you with a few examples:<\/p>\n\n\n\n What\u2019s the worst thing you could say to someone wrestling with anxiety or worry? Probably something like: \u201cRelax, it\u2019s just in your head.\u201d \u201cStop worrying so much.\u201d \u201cYou\u2019re overreacting.\u201d \u201cEverything is going to be fine. Just look on the bright side.\u201d Even worse? \u201cYour anxiety is a sign of weak faith.\u201d \u201cIf you prayed more, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":1525,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"\n Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start writing!<\/p>\n\n\n\n I remember the first time I stood up to teach the Bible to a group of women in my local church. I was terrified. Yes, I studied the passage diligently and spent hours preparing pages of notes, but I wasn\u2019t sure if my preparation was effective. Is my teaching structured well? Will the women be interested or learn anything new? Have I interpreted this passage correctly?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Many women who are asked to teach a Sunday School class, speak at a Bible study, or lead a small group experience similar fears. They often have little or no training specific to teaching Scripture and feel unequipped and insecure in their preparation. Even so, the abundance of resources available on the subject of teaching Scripture can be paralyzing for a new Bible teacher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s why we need books like Empowered and Equipped: Bible Exposition for Women Who Teach the Scriptures<\/em><\/a>. Julia Higgins, assistant professor of ministry to women at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, seeks to provide women with the tools they need to faithfully and effectively teach the Word of God to other women.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cJesus commissioned disciples to teach the nations, and women of the church must take his call seriously.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Men and women alike are given the spiritual gift of teaching, yet few resources are designed specifically for women who exposit the Scriptures. In Empowered and Equipped<\/em>, Julia Higgins steers women through the steps needed to faithfully interpret, apply, and teach a passage of Scripture. By examining both the principles and practices of teaching of Bible exposition, Higgins seeks to prepare women in the local church to make and mold disciples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n B&H Academic. 224 pp. <\/p>\n\n\n\n First we must ask, Is a book that encourages and equips women to teach Scripture necessary or even appropriate? There\u2019s much discussion today about whether the Bible permits women to teach at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In an effort to submit to Scripture\u2019s teaching, many have unfortunately moved beyond what God\u2019s Word prescribes to impose unbiblical restrictions on women. To argue that women shouldn\u2019t teach Scripture in any formal setting misunderstands God\u2019s design for discipleship. Higgins argues that all followers of Christ, including women, are included in the Great Commission and its call to teach other disciples everything Christ commanded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Furthermore, as Higgins explains, \u201cSome may conflate the spiritual gift of teaching with the office of pastor\/elder and draw a false conclusion that only men are to exercise the gift of teaching. While qualified men are responsible to teach and oversee the local church, that does not negate the fact that both men and women are given the spiritual gift of teaching.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n All followers of Christ, including women, are included in the Great Commission and its call to teach other disciples everything Christ commanded.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Spiritual gifts, including the gift of teaching, are given for the common good (1 Cor. 12:7<\/a>) and for building up the church (1 Cor. 14:12<\/a>). It follows that women are not only permitted to teach in appropriate settings but are needed for the growth and maturity of the body of Christ. This pattern is exemplified in the women in Scripture who are called to teach and commended for their teaching ministries, many of which Higgins references.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In light of the biblical call for women to teach, Higgins writes,<\/p>\n\n\n\n The end of the matter is this: women should be given a context where they can teach the Word in the local church. Why? Because Christ\u2019s church will grow and others will be discipled in the faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Her book, therefore, provides \u201ca pathway for women to exercise teaching gifts in the local church,\u201d and specifically focuses on training women to teach women.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Higgins provides an accessible yet substantial foundation for teaching Scripture. She incorporates principles and strategies from some of the most highly respected Bible teachers of our day, giving readers a well-rounded introduction to teaching Scripture without information overload.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Higgins has a high view of God\u2019s Word and a Christ-centered approach that highlights the overarching storyline of the Bible. Readers will gain essential tools for expository teaching, learning to base the central teaching focus, supporting points, and application on the main point and structure of the text itself. Higgins even encourages this kind of verse-by-verse teaching for topical messages, so that the teacher is always communicating the text\u2019s intended purpose rather than taking passages out of context as proof texts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Empowered and Equipped<\/em> walks teachers through the process of creating a Bible exposition, from understanding the nature of Scripture all the way to writing an expositional outline. Higgins covers a wide range of content from theoretical to practical, including information on biblical genres, basic doctrinal issues, and hermeneutics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n She spends a large portion of the book giving instruction on studying the Bible inductively, including specific strategies for observation, interpretation, generalization, and application and for how that study translates into instruction. The scope of the book makes it suitable for beginners\u2014although they may want to work through it more slowly\u2014as well as for those who have been studying and teaching Scripture for some time but are looking for a process to follow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While Empowered and Equipped<\/em> covers an impressive amount of ground in a surprisingly manageable page count, readers may leave with unanswered questions. For example, the book includes almost no discussion of incorporating meaningful illustrations or transitions. On other topics, such as the discussion of genre or the overview of theological doctrines, Higgins gives only brief introductions. Anything more, however, would make the book overwhelmingly dense, and readers can continue to explore these topics in more depth as they see fit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The church needs gifted women who not only speak on a short list of \u201cfemale-friendly\u201d topics stereotypical of women\u2019s conferences or retreats but who teach the whole counsel of God for the good of the body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The church needs gifted women who not only speak on a short list of \u2018female-friendly\u2019 topics but who teach the whole counsel of God for the good of the body.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Higgins appeals, \u201cThis call for women to be teachers of the Word arises from a place of care and concern for over half of the body, so that the church might grow in love for God and his Word, passing it along to others, so that they too might go and make disciples of all nations to the end that Christ\u2019s commands are observed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n As this book makes its way into the hands of more and more women who treasure the Bible and long to see it elevated and proclaimed, I pray the church will be edified and God\u2019s glory made known. I pray the teachers it equips will grow in their love for Christ even as the women they teach develop new excitement for God\u2019s Word. I pray that instead of feeling insecure and unprepared, women will be empowered and equipped to teach the Scriptures.<\/p>\n","_et_gb_content_width":"","_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"[{\"content\":\"\u201cAnxiety,\u201d American Psychological Association, accessed April 9, 2024, https:\/\/www.apa.org\/topics\/anxiety.\",\"id\":\"66c2b47b-62c2-4f2f-b1f1-39be2d5c99ad\"},{\"content\":\"\u201cAnxiety,\u201d Ligonier, accessed April 9, 2024, https:\/\/www.ligonier.org\/guides\/anxiety-and-worry.\",\"id\":\"8e2b507c-243c-47ee-b3e0-ec1b60fc1ea0\"},{\"content\":\"Jeremy Pierre, \u201cIs Anxiety a Sin?\u201d Southern Seminary,February 14, 2018, YouTube video, https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=RA1wRqPr3Dk.\",\"id\":\"f9401f9a-e788-46c2-9bc2-8e42fb2b1191\"}]"},"categories":[33],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1519","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-care-counseling","et-has-post-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\nWhat is Anxiety?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Why Do I Feel Anxious?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Is Anxiety a Sin?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How Can I Avoid Sin in My Anxiety?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nEmpowered and Equipped: Biblical Exposition for Women Who Teach the Scriptures <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Should Women Teach the Bible?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Helpful Foundation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Empowered and Equipped to Teach God\u2019s Word<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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