Issue 36 Sabbath RestBlog | Mentoring matters: anxiety and rest
Mentoring matters: anxiety and rest
Author: Andy PeckPost Date: 26.09.23
These are anxious times. Uncertainty and stress in recent years have produced an ongoing pervasive anxiety across the world. Anxiety in society at large can be suddenly sparked by big events like the recent pandemic, natural disasters, war, or slowly stirred by worry over things like rising violence, shifting values, and relentless change. There is a strong argument that anxiety has become entrenched as an enduring feature of Western culture.1 This anxiety is not irrational, nor is it ungodly, but it is a powerful emotional driver that requires careful discernment and thoughtful response.
The apostle Peter, writing to disciples who had good reason to be unsettled, acknowledges the reality of anxiety as a normal Christian experience and gives a brief, high-level indicator of what to do about it:
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:6-7, New International Version)
If you are a leader in a local church, you may have noticed how anxiety can impact not only individuals but also whole groups of people at once, setting the tone of an organisation. If you pay attention, you’ll see it in those who are excited and upbeat as much as in those who are negative, fearful, or even
