Laura McGee – December 17, 2024 – 3 min read. – client resource
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
How do you feel when Christmas is approaching? Are you excited, nervous, overwhelmed or anxious? Most believers are typically confident expressing excitement but don’t make room for other emotions like feeling overwhelmed or anxious. Somehow, we think Christmas should only fill us with joy, so when we are anxious or overwhelmed, we keep it to ourselves remaining alone with our anxiety. So how do we give ourselves and others permission to feel anxious and overwhelmed during the holiday season? Where is God amid our anticipatory anxiety and what is He doing, especially in Advent?
Anticipatory anxiety is a specific anxiety surrounding a future event or conversation where we fear a possible negative outcome. Maybe it’s the event itself, or the location, or the new people we will meet. We wonder if we will enjoy the event or if people will like us. Or maybe the conversation we want or need to have with friends or family will not go well, leading to broken relationships. The phrase “what if _________ happens?” is loud in our heads and hearts. We believe that our internal voice is simply preparing us for the negative outcome, and we believe that voice is true. So, we avoid the event or conversation and thus avoid the negative outcome. Except anticipatory anxiety simply returns at the next event or conversation. We continue to withdraw or avoid, and the cycle continues. We never have peace.
So how does God respond to our fears? By entering our world to comfort our fears.
Advent is the season before Christmas where believers contemplate past and future events. The season of Advent is perfect for believers who struggle with anticipatory anxiety. We are a fearful people in a broken world where suffering and sin reign and outcomes are never certain. Advent is a time to receive God’s comfort and love when we are anxious and anticipate bad outcomes. It is a time of preparation that focuses on four themes: hope, peace, joy and love, as we contemplate Jesus Christ’s first and second coming to dwell with His people.
Hope Comforts Anticipatory Anxiety
For believers who suffer with anticipatory anxiety, hope is frequently connected to positive external circumstances and relationships only. We hope we get along with our family members, we hope they like the present, and we hope the Christmas meal will be undramatic. But Jesus wants to give us a better, more lasting hope that transcends circumstances.
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” (Rom. 15:13)
God knows we are fearful people needing hope and He comforts us by being our hope.
Peace Comforts Anticipatory Anxiety
Anticipatory anxiety feels so far away from peace of any kind. Our racing thoughts never stop as we contemplate the future and try to avoid negative outcomes. We believe the lie “If I can control my circumstances, I can ensure peace.” So, we try but peace eludes us. Yet Jesus’ peace is not based on external circumstances.
“Peace, I leave with you, my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (John 14:27)
God knows we are anxious and so He comforts us by offering His eternal, lasting peace.
Joy Comforts Anticipatory Anxiety
Anticipatory anxiety believes the lie that joy is nonexistent. As thoughts race and we focus on ever changing circumstances and relationships, all we feel is anxiety.
“Fear not, for behold I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10-11) and in another passage in Luke we read, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he has visited and redeemed His people” (Luke 1:68)
God knows we are worried about negative outcomes, so He comforts us with His joy and guarantees us an eternal positive outcome.
Love Comforts Anticipatory Anxiety
Anticipatory Anxiety blocks our ability to see and feel love. When the anxiety we feel turns into dread and then withdrawal and avoidance, thoughts of love are far away. Yet God seeks nothing more than to love us.
“God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world but in order that the world might be saved through him.” (John 3:16-17).
God knows we are fearful of rejection, so He offers us His eternal love.
Could Advent help us reframe our anticipatory anxiety? Could the negative outcomes we fear be reframed into positive outcomes this Christmas season? Can you practice changing the “what if” to “what if it doesn’t” May God’s hope, peace, joy and love bring comfort to your anxious heart this Christmas.