John MacArthur on Anxiety and God’s Sovereignty

With the fear and uncertainty generated by the current COVID-19 pandemic, we consider this series by John MacArthur to be even more timely now than when it was first run eight years ago. The following blog post was originally published on November 6, 2012. —ed.

It should be clear by now that unchecked anxiety isn’t good for you. It’s a sin expressly forbidden by the Lord, so there is the spiritual cost to consider. But it’s also harmful to your health, your productivity, and your relationships. It wreaks havoc throughout your life, and as we saw yesterday, it strangles your mind.

Why then do we find it so easy to worry? It’s a sin that ensnares most believers from time to time—shouldn’t we know better? Moreover, shouldn’t we be able to find the tools in Scripture to conquer our anxiety and guard ourselves from slipping back into worry?

When John Macarthur was recently in studio, we asked him about the nature of anxiety, where it comes from, and what solutions God’s Word has to offer people struggling with worry. Here’s what he had to say: