There is a verse in the bible that says “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)
Anxiety and feeling troubled, affects thousands and thousands of people worldwide. It’s like we have an anxiety epidemic. There are many things that we can be concerned about, especially with the daily reports of situations and suffering happening in the world, and in our personal lives. The trouble is if we’re not mindful and aware of how we are processing these issues, the devil will use them to cause us to worry and suffer from anxiety.
Anxiety and worrying are the opposite of faith, and if there is one thing I have learnt, it’s that worry steals our peace. This causes our stress levels to rise and eventually, if unchecked will make us sick.
More often than not our worrying is because we are not trusting God to take care of us. We doubt His love and kindness, often because we have been let down, disappointed or hurt by other people in our past, and we don’t trust anyone. Therefore we remain in control, and it’s difficult for us to trust God.
The thing is, there are some things in life we are unable to fix ourselves; the task or situation is too big. We need help, and God says He is our help.
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)
“For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathise with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:15-16)
God’s ways are different from our ways, and He wants us to live free from worry and anxiety. But to live like that we have to live by His ways and not our own. When things come up that cause us to become anxious and worried, God wants us to seek His help.
The bible is like a God’s manual for life, and it has alot to say about how to deal with worry.
1 Peter 5:6-7 says, “Therefore humble yourselves [demote, lower yourselves in your own estimation] under the mighty hand of God, that in due time He may exalt you, casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.
To deal with worry and anxiety God encourages us to:
1.Humble ourselves; that means we have to let go of the controls and ask for help.
2.Cast all our cares on Him. Give them over to Him, and then don’t take them back. When we do that, our concerns are His concern. Ask yourself “How are things working out for me doing things my way” As long as we try to do everything ourselves, God will let us. But perhaps instead of making ourselves miserable trying to figure everything out on our own we can give them over to God to sort out. When we do that God is able to release His miracle working power into our situation.
God didn’t create us to live anxious lives only relying on ourselves all the time. He wants us to trust Him, so we are free to do the good things He has planned for us, and to enjoy His blessings; as He meets our every need.
Today, why not try God’s way of doing things. Ask for His help, acknowledge your need, cast all your cares upon Him, and then watch His miracle working power go to work in your life.
Prayer: Lord thank you that you care about every area of my life. Please help me to cast all my cares on you, and to learn to trust you more. In Jesus Name Amen.