I don’t know about you, but I’ve found myself a little on the “edgy” side lately. I’m sure that it has to do with this crazy time that we’re living through. No one dreamed six weeks ago that our economy, our work habits, and even our “place” of worship would have changed so much, but then again – we’ve never lived through a pandemic before. Anxiety occurs when our mind fixates on threats, negativity, and feelings of uncertainty. Sometimes we get anxious because of stress, while at other times anxiety causes stress. If the stress becomes bad enough, it can even lead to panic attacks. Anxiety is the brain’s natural automatic way to survive stress. We might not be able to keep it from never happening, but we can learn how to respond to anxiety so that we can keep it from taking over our lives.
God has not left us alone to carry our burdens, He doesn’t want us to be afraid or anxious. He is there for us. We are to “cast all our anxiety upon Him, for He careth for us.” (I Peter 5:7) In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus reminded His followers to “Take no thought (be not anxious), saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow; for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” (Matthew 6:31-34) Isn’t that the truth? Don’t we have enough to worry about today without worrying about what “might” happen tomorrow? “Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.” (Proverbs 12:25, ESV) “To them that are of an anxious heart, Be strong, fear not; behold your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God, He will come and save you.” (Isaiah 35:4) In Philippians 4:6, Paul urged the church at Philippi to “be anxious for nothing, but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” The only way to be careful for nothing is to be prayerful in everything and be thankful for all things.
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil ; for Thou art with me, Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4) And it doesn’t get any better than that, my friends! Simply blessed, Courtney