Dealing with the Angst within

Moving along in 1 Thessalonians 4, we come to these verses:

9Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, 10for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, 11and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, 12so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.

Paul tells this group of believers that he doesn't have to tell them how to love each other. They already do what they have learned from God. In fact, they show brotherly love to all the believers throughout Macedonia. BUT Paul adds this plea....do it more and more and more. And as you show brotherly love more and more and more...make it a goal to live quietly and to not be gossips and busybodies, and to work hard. If they do this then they will be walking properly with God and not be dependent on anyone.

When I was reading over what Matthew Henry had to say about this passage in e-sword I realized that this fits in well with a query I had of Jim last night. 1. is having angst sin? (yes) 2. why? (because shows you are not trusting God) 3. so how does one not have angst? (he didn't answer that as it was rather late at night).

BUT when I read over what Matthew Henry said, I thought you know...this makes sense. Here are his words concerning vv 9-12

Of quietness and industry in their callings. Observe, 1. The apostle exhorts to these duties: that they should study to be quiet, 1Th_4:11. It is the most desirable thing to have a calm and quiet temper, and to be of a peaceable and quiet behaviour. This tends much to our own and others' happiness; and Christians should study how to be quiet. We should be ambitious and industrious how to be calm and quiet in our minds, in patience to possess our own souls, and to be quiet towards others; or of a meek and mild, a gentle and peaceable disposition, not given to strife, contention, or division. Satan is very busy to disquiet us; and we have that in our own hearts that disposes us to be disquiet; therefore let us study to be quiet. It follows, Do your own business. When we go beyond this, we expose ourselves to a great deal of inquietude. Those who are busy-bodies, meddling in other men's matters, generally have but little quiet in their own minds and cause great disturbances among their neighbours; at least they seldom mind the other exhortation, to be diligent in their own calling, to work with their own hands; and yet this was what the apostle commanded them, and what is required of us also. Christianity does not discharge us from the work and duty of our particular callings, but teaches us to be diligent therein.

He has more to say, but I thought this would do. :)
We need to be quiet within. If we work at it, then we are mindful of ourselves, not of others. We are mindful of what God wants and not busy-ing ourselves with concerns of others that aren't our concerns. And if we do that...than our "angst" within will decrease.

Pretty cool I thought. Neat how God puts a thought in our brains and then helps us answer it too! :) So I need to work more on being quiet inside as that will help me keep my focus where it aught to be and that will reduce the angst I feel in life. I can do this! Not overnight mind you...but I am only 42...I have a few more years left in me. :)