8 Arguments Against Anxiety Compiled by John Piper

#1 Life is more than food and the body more than clothing. Matthew 6:35

#2 God feeds the birds and you are more valuable than they are. Matthew 6:26

#3 It's pointless, it adds not one hour to your life. Matthew 6:27

#4 If God clothes the ephemereal grass, he will clothe eternal you. Matthew 6:28-30

#5 Unbelievers are anxious about stuff, and you are not an unbeliever. Matthew 6:32a

#6 Your father knows that you need all these things you are anxious about. Matthew 6:32b

#7 When you seek first God's kingdom and righteousness, what you need is added to you.

#8 Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Tomorrow's trouble stays there. Matthew 6:34

The Truth Behind Complaining

This is an excerpt from Stephen Alltroge's book "The Greener Grass Conspiracy." It was a section that stood out to me (among others) and really convicted me. Do we really take time to think through, what we are ACTUALLY saying when we as christians, complain about our life?

When we complain, we're saying that the blessings of the gospel aren't enough. We're saying that the death of Christ isn't enough. We're saying that eternal fellowship with God, purchased at great cost to God, isn't enough to satisfy our souls. We're saying that forgiveness of sins and peace with God is nice, but not that nice. We're saying that God "[has] not wisdom, or power, or mercy enough," to provide for us. We're saying that God himself, who is the very definition of goodness, isn't good enough. We would like a little something more, if you don't mind. God plus [insert desire of choice] should do the trick. When we complain, we accuse God of being stingy, of not giving us enough. Do you see the utter sinfulness of complaining? It tramples the gospel in the mud and paints God as a cosmic Scrooge. Even though God gave up what was most precious to him to bring us to himself, it's not enough. Even though God proved his generosity with blood, we don't believe him. God has emptied his pockets for us, and yet we complain.1

We desperately need to return, again and again to the gospel. Re-applying it daily. When tempted to complain, it is vital that we remember "the hell we deserve and the heaven we've received."






1 Altrogge, Stephen "The Greener Grass Conspiracy" p. 72, Crossway

Paul's Big Secret

I think it's safe to say that discontent is one of the biggest struggle in the christian life. I have the hardest time with being content, and I write this as someone who is still struggling big time, not as someone whose passed it. Recently my discontent has hit me hard, i've seen anger turn to bitterness and I've seen it negatively affect those around me. What am I doing wrong? What was the "secret" that Paul had learned? How was he content "in plenty AND IN NEED". How are we to "get this secret," in times when we are angry with God and hating where we are at in life (singleness, sucky job, ect.) What God has been reminding be recently is that this secret is not as mystifying as I or Paul makes it out to be.

In my times of anger my mindset is usually I deserve better, at the core of our discontent is the conviction that we are not getting what we deserve. But the gospel answers this by saying "no you're not getting what you deserve and you can thank God for that!". You see this is the "secret" Paul talks about in phillipians, the gospel!! It wasn't searching for some new truth or practice it was the old message the one that is most crucial. When we see that our sins deserve the wrath and damnation of a holy and just God and that same God poured all that on his own beloved son so sinners like you and me could experience grace, adoption, and so many blood-bought gifts, the feelings of discontent start to lose their hold. In Christ we have eveything we need. God has been encouraging and convicting me with this truth and my prayer is that you who are struggling with discontent would stop and behold the cross where we truly see what we deserve and how much we have been given instead. When Paul says I have "learned" the secret to being content, I think this came from constant mediation on the gospel and sitting by the cross.

"I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need." (phlippians 4:12)


"if you don't have what you desire, you have more than what you deserve". Thomas Watson