A Prophet with Anxiety

I feel like often we read the scriptures as if they were stories of a world separate from our own. The characters of the stories seem almost mythical by the way we tell their stories. But those people were real people, with many of the same struggles we face today. Today I was reading about Jacob, a prophet from the Book of Mormon. Jacob was born in adverse circumstances – he was born and grew up while his family was traveling through the desert. There was continual conflict between his family members that on a few occasions turned violent. It’s easy to imagine the effect these circumstances might have had on him as a youth.

A melancholy, even depressive tone is evident in Jacob’s language as he writes – “…we being a lonesome and a solemn people… did mourn out our days.” He confesses openly, “mine anxiety is great for you and ye yourselves know that it ever has been.” Could it have been that Jacob, a prophet, suffered from anxiety and depression, like so many of us do?

But as I read on, I realized that for Jacob, anxiety didn’t hold him back. It fact, I came to feel that his anxiety was one of his greatest strengths as a prophet. Consider statements of his like this: “For because of faith and great anxiety it truly had been made manifest unto us concerning our people, what thing should happen unto them. And we also had many revelations…” A recent article I read in the Ensign observed, “A positive way of looking at people who struggle with anxiety is this: the just care too much.”

Reading Jacob’s words, they are filled with emotion and love for his people. His anxiety caused him to sorrow greatly for his people but also to love them beyond what he would have been able to otherwise. His anxiety and desire for the welfare of his people led to him obtaining many revelations from God on their behalf.

I believe that anxiety can be a great spiritual strength in followers of Jesus Christ. If we let it drive us to care for each other more and to pray with more earnest desire, it can bring us to our Heavenly Father in ways that would be impossible otherwise. To those suffering from anxiety: Your courage is great, and I admire you. Remember that Heavenly Father knows you and has given you this trial knowing of your strength and knowing of the great good you are able to do.