Our best selves

Anxiety comes from the most insidious place: the inside.

As Lutherans, we’re heirs to a wonderful legacy, one that somewhat counter-intuitively affirms our anxieties. Nope, it declares, we never will make it to “good enough.” Not on our own merit, anyway. But in God’s eyes, and through the love of Jesus, who for us and for our salvation came down from heaven, we’re redeemed.

And that makes us our best selves. That makes us infinitely and everlastingly good enough.

Another way that our faith accompanies us in our journey through the valley of anxiety is in Christian community. Drawn together by the Holy Spirit, we gather to give thanks, to experience the healing and life-giving presence of God, and to go out, renewed and sent. We support one another. The body of Christ is not only who we are; it’s a gift we’ve been given, the gift of belonging. The anxieties get inside our bodies, inside our minds; but so does the voice of faith.

This message is adapted from “I am freaking out! How your faith can combat anxiety” written by Jessica Nipp that first appeared in the November 2010 issue of Cafe magazine. Do you enjoy these free Daily Grace messages? If so, donate now to further the ministry.