Anxiety is a terrible thing to have to deal with, but very controllable for people of faith. George Muller once said, "The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith, and the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety." I like that, especially because it is true. When I accepted Christ and put my life in His hands I forfeited the need to worry about anything at all. My ability to worry should have been replaced with true faith, but I try to digress and take it back and it just doesn't work well. If we truly trust God for our heavenly home, then trusting Him here on earth for daily things should be a breeze, but many times it isn't. And all of the famous quotes about worry don't work if your heart isn't in it, because it is part of who we are. It is our old nature trying to control, just as much as any other sin trying to take back control of our lives. Anxiety minimizes God in our lives and if we do it enough, we will even feel lost at times. But we aren't....so don't worry!! haha An anxious heart will eat at our faith and spread throughout every part of our life, and satan uses it to draw us away from the strong faith that can defeat him on every side. If he can get us doubting, then the other half of the battle is easy. God doesn't want us to be anxious. He wants us to experience the peace that was made possible through the gospel of Jesus Christ. That reliance on God is what propels us to greater heights in our walk with the Lord. That progressive walk should have me way beyond worry at this junture in my life, but I still worry. When there's no need. And God is waiting to kill the worry wart in your life and strives to do that through His Word and through other ways. In Psalm 34:4 the psalmist said, "God met me more than halfway, he freed me from my anxious fears." What does that tell me? Worry has been around for a long time, but so has God. He continues to meet us with the peace that puts out the fires of an anxious heart, if we will learn to turn to Him. Sometimes all it takes is an encouraging word to get us out of the state of worry, or sometimes God will give a sign that makes our heart soar. Whatever we need to get through it, God supplies and His supply is enough to give us His peace. The peace is so pure and complete, that we cannot even understand it. Don't think great men of God never worry. In 2 Corinthians 7 Paul was concerned (worried) about some things going on with some of the recent converts in Corinth. He had heard the church was having some fights about doctrine and it really concerned him. He said in verse 5, "The fights in the church and the fears in our hearts kept us on pins and needles. We couldn't relax because we didn't know how it would turn out. Verse 6 has a great word from Paul. It is the word THEN! I love that word. That is the word used when God shows up. It is so powerful. There is a new movie about to be in theaters called Noah. One of the trailers has the king of the land coming out to challenge Noah for building the ark and not bowing to him. He told Noah, "I have all these people with me and you have the audacity to stand here alone. Noah replies, "I'm not alone!" Whooo, now there's a cold chiller to firm your faith. Look at how Paul says it in verse 7 of 2 Corinthians, "We were glad to just to see him,(Titus) but the true reassurance came in what he told us about : how much you cared, how much you grieved , how concerned you were for me. I went from worry to tranquility in no time!" Do you want to defeat anxiety? Do you want to go from worry to tranquility in no time? Then let me give you a word from the Lord. God is with you. God is still in control. God is all powerful. God is the great I Am! If satan comes at you and says, "You stand in your faith all alone? "You can say back to him, "I'm not alone." Maybe if that word is not enough you can try this one on for size. Psalm 23The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. 3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake. 4 Yea, 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, they comfort me 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. 6Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.
We are not alone and we are not to be anxious. Stand strong in the Lord and rest in the shelter of His wings. He never disappoints, so don't be anxious about anything. Just lift your prayers to God and trust!!
The Pilgrimage continues.....
David Warren
No comments:
Post a Comment