Gregory Popcak - Unworried: A Life Without Anxiety

Other Titles by Dr. Gregory Popcak

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Just Married: The Catholic Guide to Surviving and Thriving in the First Five Years of Marriage (Ave Maria Press, 2013)

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Parenting with Grace: The Catholic Parents Guide to Raising (almost) Perfect Kids (Our Sunday Visitor, 2010)

Beyond the Birds and the Bees: Raising Whole and Holy Kids (Ascension Press, 2012)

Discovering God Together: The Catholic Guide to Raising Faithful Kids (Sophia Institute Press, 2015)

Then Comes Baby: The Catholic Guide to Surviving & Thriving in the First Three Years of Parenthood (Ave Maria Press, 2014)

The BeDADitudes: 8 Ways to Be an Awesome Dad (Ave Maria Press, 2017)

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Unworried

Unworried

A Life Without Anxiety

Dr. Gregory Popcak

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Scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C., and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All rights reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for use in the United States of America copyright 1994, United States Catholic Conference, Inc. Libreria Editrice Vaticana. English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church: Modifications from the Editio Typica copyright 1997, United States Catholic Conference, Inc. Libreria Editrice Vaticana.

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Copyright 2018 by Dr. Gregory Popcak. Published 2018.

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P RINTED IN THE U NITED S TATES OF A MERICA

Contents

Chapter One

Have No AnxietyAt All!

Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
(Philippians 4:67)

Have no anxiety at all? Yes, Saint Paul said it. But did he really mean it? He was just writing for effect, wasnt he? Or maybe it was possible to live anxiety-free back then, when things were simple, and the only thing people had to worry about was, well, martyrdom and stuff. But surely, in our extremely busy, hyperlinked, post-modern, post-Christian, post-truth society, we have a right to be at least a little terrified? Surely, we moderns have more reasons than Saint Paul could have ever imagined to find ourselves lying awake in a cold sweat at four in the morning while our hearts beat out of our chest. Saint Paul couldnt have been talking about us, right?

In fact, he was. He was speaking to all those who longed to follow Christ, both in his time and for ages to come. As the Second Vatican Councils Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation, Dei Verbum, says, Sacred Scripture of both the Old and New Testaments are like a mirror in which the pilgrim Church on earth looks at God, from whom she has received everything, until she is brought finally to see Him as He is, face to face (see 1 John 3:2) (#7). Christians believe that Gods word is true for all times. We know our identity, our purpose, and our path, not by what we feel is true in this moment, but in the truth of the Word of God.

Saint Paul, both in his writings and in the example of his life and death, lived what he taught, enduring hardship, imprisonment, unjust persecution, and eventually death, not with terror, but with peace and grace. Paul, however, certainly didnt invent this concept. Jesus constantly reminded his followers, Do not let your hearts be troubled (Jn 14:1) and do not worry (Mt 6:34). In John 14:27, Jesus says, Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid. In Mark 5:36, Jesus says, Do not be afraid; just have faith.

Throughout both the Old and New Testaments, the authors of holy Scripture offer us an ocean of spiritual encouragement:

Be strong and steadfast; have no fear or dread of them, for the L ORD, your God, who marches with you; he will never fail you or forsake you. (Deuteronomy 31:6)

Say to the fearful of heart:

Be strong, do not fear!

Here is your God,

he comes with vindication;

With divine recompense

he comes to save you. (Isaiah 35:4)

Do not fear: I am with you;

do not be anxious: I am your God.

I will strengthen you, I will help you,

I will uphold you with my victorious right hand. (Isaiah 41:10)

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil, for you are with me;

your rod and your staff comfort me. (Psalm 23:4)

The L ORD is my light and my salvation;

whom should I fear?

The L ORD is my lifes refuge

of whom should I be afraid? (Psalm 27:1)

Cast your care upon the L ORD,

who will give you support.

He will never allow

the righteous to stumble. (Psalm 55:23)

The L ORD is with me; I am not afraid;

what can mortals do against me?