In Jacob 1:5 Jacob is talking to the people and he says, “Because of faith and great anxiety.” That these two words were put together struck me deeply. I work to have great faith and I live with anxiety. We are told continually in the scriptures to fear not. I have always taken this to mean not only fear but anxiety.
Jacob teaches that is not the case. There is a divinity in anxiety and worry because it is for the love and welfare of others. That anxiety can lead to inspiration. The concern can lead to action. Both of these things happen because of love. When we love others that comes along with anxiety for their welfare and for their lives.
When I speak of faith I mean faith in my Savior Jesus Christ. However this could be faith that things will simply get better. Faith and anxiety go together because faith is uncertainty. It is stepping out into the unknown. If it was known it would not be faith. They go together because Faith is only faith if I don’t know what is going to happen and I act despite the anxiety.
There are two paths that anxiety can take you down. On one you can couple anxiety with paralyzing fear. On the other hand, you can couple it with faith. You can act and hope for the best.
Fear or faith. Action or paralysis. The choice is always our own. Some of the best things come from doing something that scares you. Whether that is starting a new job that will stretch you or starting a blog, when we act in faith we will grow and our anxiety will lessen as we learn what we need to. Moses I am sure felt anxiety as he stepped into the Red Sea before it was parted. Peter must have felt trepidation stepping out of the boat and into the sea to walk on water to Jesus. Nephi spoke of his anxiety in going to get the brass plates when he said, “ I was led by the Spirit not knowing beforehand the things which I should do.”
Each of them felt anxiety, each of them acted and moved forward in faith. Into the unknown, trusting God would guide them, direct them, teach them, and protect them.
Faith moves us forward. Fear paralyzes us so we do not act. It is easy to think about what would have happened if Nephi, or Moses had not acted, if they had been afraid and chosen fear instead. It is easy to see what the consequences would have been. It is harder to see it in our own lives. When we are in that moment amidst the anxiety to think what the consequences of not acting would be is at times unknowable. For we cannot see who we will meet, what hearts we may touch, and whose wounds we may help bind in the course of our day and the decisions that we make.
We each will face anxiety and fear in our lives. We will need to do things that are scary because we do not know how to do them or where they will take us. When we face fear and choose faith. When we choose to act in spite of the anxiety, then we will lessen our anxiety and strengthen our faith. By doing so we loosen the grip of both fear and anxiety on us and the next time becomes just a little bit easier.
