Anxiety and Gethsemane

What Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane Teaches Us About Anxiety

It’s Holy Week and seems the perfect time to revisit this piece! This is an updated and edited piece of the original posted last April on the Holy HSP blog.

Edvard Munch, The Scream, 1910

“Therefore I tell you: Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing? Consider the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they? Can any of you add one moment to his life span by worrying? (Matthew 6: 25-27)

Matthew 6:25-34 is titled “The Cure for Anxiety” in my Bible. (Let’s not forget that those titles are not original to the Biblical authors … modern editors included those) Scripture is constantly telling us Fear not. Don’t be afraid. Don’t worry. It’s clear that feeling anxious goes against the Bible’s instructions. Right?

Not so fast…Let’s consider anxiety and its function.

Imagine you’re taking a hike through the woods and you come across a venomous snake. Your heart begins to pound, you start to sweat and your muscles tense up. Are you breaking Jesus’ instructions to not worry? I’m going to say… no. What if the snake turns out to be a stick and your brain just misinterpreted the information … is this breaking Jesus’ instructions not to worry? Again … No.

Why?

Because your brain is doing exactly what God created it to do. It’s reacting appropriately. Repeating Matthew 6 to yourself when you see a snake (literally or metaphorically) isn’t particularly helpful. Repeating to yourself God’s promise to always be with you might be more helpful, but it’s still not going to stop your fight or flight response. Because you're supposed to have fight or flight activated in dangerous situations. Dangerous situations can be a real snake in the woods or even a toxic person in your life. The brain wants to keep us safe in all the ways!

You can trust God and still have the fight or flight response activated.

The fight or flight response being activated is not a sin. Let me repeat that: The FIGHT OR FLIGHT RESPONSE IS NOT A SIN. It certainly is activated more because of our post-Genesis 3-not-yet-fully-restored-Heaven-and-Earth. But, you are not necessarily sinning because your fight or flight response is activated. * It might be activated as a result of your own sin, or it could be that you’re genuinely distrusting God and doing things in your own power. We all have fallen short of the glory of God, and it’s possible the anxiety is a result of that. But an anxiety response in and of itself is not sinful.*

It’s Holy Week as I write this, and I was meditating on the Garden of Gethsemane scene.

He went out and made his way as usual to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. When he reached the place, he told them, “Pray that you may not fall into temptation.” Then he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and began to pray, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me—nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” Then an angel from heaven appeared to him, strengthening him. Being in anguish, he prayed more fervently, and his sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground. When he got up from prayer and came to the disciples, he found them sleeping, exhausted from their grief. “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray, so that you won’t fall into temptation.”

(Luke 22:39-46)

Isn’t it fascinating that LUKE is the one who mentions that Jesus was sweating blood? Luke, the doctor. It’s interesting that he’s the one who was most interested in this detail. Did you know there is a medical term for this phenomenon? Hematidrosis. And, while there is still much we don’t understand about it, it is assumed by modern medical professionals to be a part of the fight or flight response.

So, wait….Jesus’ fight or flight response was activated in the Garden of Gethesame? YUP. Jesus was having a panic attack. Jesus was experiencing intense anxiety and emotional distress. A deep, dark, intense kind of anxiety. And, if Jesus had it...it is not a sin.

When we tell people “God says not to worry so don’t be anxious” we’re dismissing so many who are suffering. What about the veteran with PTSD? Is their anxiety because they’re “worried”? What about the person whose child died? The person with a terminally ill parent? What about when there’s any kind of trauma involved? What about chronic fight or flight due to chronically stressful events?

The brain is a truly remarkable thing. Part of God’s VERY GOOD creation! The brain knows how to protect us. We certainly want to prayerfully work through any kinds of trauma to heal our brains, but … it’s not a sin to experience anxiety. Nor is it a sin to be more prone to anxiety than others (hello, highly sensitives!)

By all means, let us cast our cares upon him and not worry! Absolutely, trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5). But, do not despair when your fight or flight response turns on to protect you. There is nothing wrong with you and Jesus is not disappointed in you because you experience anxiety.

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens—Jesus the Son of God—let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin. Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need. (Hebrews 4:14-16)

Following Jesus’ example in the Garden…what should we do when we’re experiencing intense panic (or even mild anxiety)?

- PRAY. Take it to the Father. Jesus poured his heart out to His Father, as should we.

- REACH OUT. Jesus had his closest friends there with him. (Sometimes our friends can’t stay awake with us either…but that doesn’t mean we abandon relationships!)

- SEEK GOD’S WILL. “Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done…” Sometimes anxiety is caused by incredibly uncomfortable circumstances that we would not choose for ourselves. Seek His will, read Scripture and don’t let the anxiety squelch the Holy Spirit.

If you're someone who struggles with intense anxiety because of external circumstances, please know that Jesus understands. He's been there, too.

And, the GOOD NEWS? Because of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, healing can be ours! Our post-Genesis 3 world is broken, but He is restoring all things and making them new!! (Revelation 21:5). One day we won't have anxiety and those external traumas will be swallowed up with Death forever. In the meantime, keep trusting Him, know that He is your Great High Priest who is able to sympathize with your weakness (Hebrews 4), and He is interceding for us (Romans 8:34).

Thanks for being here, friends.

A Blessed Easter to you all ~

<3 MM