Intro

Do you experience anxiety? Anxiety can describe an intentness; that is, a positive kind of concern that leads one to prepare properly for an exam, to stay alert in a job interview, and to address problem situations. In our passage today, Peter uses a word that refers to negative forms of concern: our stress-filled response to unknown outcomes in our studies, work, and relationships – those uneasy feelings, often accompanied by nervous behavior, restlessness, muscle tension, fatigue, problems in concentration, and sleeplessness. In these moments of life, filled with anxiety, it is easy to ask, “So, where is God? What did I do to deserve this? How am I supposed to handle this?” Are these the right questions?