I'm going to share some stats with you.
Stat number one, 50 million Americans feel the effects
of panic attacks and anxiety disorders every year.
Stat number two, depression is the world's leading
cause of disability.
Number three, people in the 20th century
were three times more likely to experience depression
than people of the preceding generation.
Number four, 16.2 million American adults suffer
from major depressive disorder,
which is one major depressive episode per year.
Anxiety and depression is a big deal.
And you know what's true about all those,
each of those four statistics?
That was before a worldwide pandemic hit,
that's when those stats were from.
Since the worldwide pandemic that has shut down
so much around the world and disrupted so much of our lives,
some more stats.
Mental distress has increased by about 700%.
Another one, calls to the national suicide hotline
have increased by about 600%.
Prior to the pandemic 3% of parents
reported experiencing severe distress, 3% of parents,
after the pandemic that 3%, it jumped to 37%.
A lot of people feeling stressed, anxious, depressed.
And if that's you, or someone you love,
feeling sad, overwhelmed, discouraged,
it doesn't necessarily mean you're doing something wrong.
In fact, there's one person who can relate pretty well
to how you're feeling.
Jesus, Jesus can.
In the gospel of Matthew on Maundy Thursday,
the Bible gives us some very descriptive words
to describe the emotions that were cycling through Jesus.
It says this, it says,
Sorrowful, troubled, overwhelmed with sorrow
to the point of death.
In other words, his emotions were nearly killing him already
hours before his crucifixion.
And if it would be wrong to feel those things,
and of course that would make it a sin,
but of course, Jesus never did such a thing,
he never sinned.
Feeling overwhelmed, feeling sorrowful.
It's not an indicator
that you're necessarily doing anything wrong,
it's just a reminder that we live
in the same troubling world that Jesus himself did.
A world that has the potential and the ability
to have a very powerful effect
even on the God that we believe in,
that's the kind of world that we live in.
And why did it,
why did the world inflict that pain on Jesus?
Not by accident, but because he chose it.
He was sorrowful and overwhelmed even to the point of death.
Because he wanted to guarantee
that whatever it is that's causing you anxiety,
it's not going to get the best of you in the end.
That very next day he was going to pay the price
that was necessary to guarantee you,
that you will be part of God's family forever.
And the home where you will be set free
from all of your anxiety,
from all of the things that weigh down your heart,
from all the things about you, about what you worry so much.
He wanted you to know
that they're not going to get the best of you in the end.
It's not wrong to feel anxiety,
Jesus knows it's real,
and he wants you to know
that he's with you through all of it,
all the way to the end.
Do you know someone who needs to be reminded
that the things in their life
that are causing them anxiousness, anxiety, and sadness,
that's not going to get the best of them in the end,
consider sharing this video with them
and tune in for the rest of the week too.
We look forward to giving you a lot of hope
as we move forward through these things.