Overcoming worry and anxiety
When we walk with Jesus, life doesn’t have so many
distractions, last minute changes and unmet expectations. All those anxiety
builders are put in their place the closer you walk with God. Life is easier to navigate,
because you are following a set course and not feeling the pressure to make
your own way. Even when that course changes direction every fifteen minutes,
you have assurance in the one leading.
People who have never experienced this kind of walk with God
will tell you it is not possible. People who serve the Lord passionately, will
sometimes tell us that life is just full of anxiety, stress and unexpected
demands, but this is not true. Anxiety and stress come from our disconnection
with God.
When the peace of God rules our heart and mind, we live in
peace. Being near God alters darkness and confusion. Even in moments where we
don’t know what to do, we know that being close to God is what we should do,
and we have peace in the “not knowing.” Life has more rest then we imagine. We
just tend to spend out rest time worrying.
I like to fret because when I fret (worry) I feel like I am
being responsible. I feel like I should care, get things done, accomplish
stuff. Sometimes I try to control people so that the right things get done.
Since I don’t get to make their decisions for them, I worry. So when I am not
able to do things, or control people, worry helps me feel like I am doing
something. But being responsible by worrying is not being responsible at all.
It is just worry.
Now prayer is a much better way to be responsible. When we
turn our worry into intercession we are reaching out to God. Like a third grader
raising their hand in class, we raise our hand up to God and cry out, Hey
teacher. Great Teacher, I need some attention.
When we cry out, faith is still needed. Doing the right
thing, prayer, still needs faith. If we don’t believe that God cares for us,
then our prayers just turn back into worry and negative thoughts. But if we know
that God hears us and cares for us, our prayer life is hopeful, positive and
fulfilling. Faith transports our words into actions. Mountains are moved, lives
changed and healing received as we pray in faith.
“But I tried that.” Yes, most everyone has tried it. And I
understand that we get tired, weary. But we are not called to try it. We are
called to keep praying, to persevere, and to pray without ceasing. And you can
do it. You can make it to the end and beyond because of He who lives in you.
Take what little faith you have and trust more in God’s ability to see you
through than your own strength.
God allows us to come to our end, to hit the wall or fail so
that we know our limits. Many of us have failed. But in our failure we did not
choose a better way. Instead of learning that we are limited and in need of acquiring
God’s strength, we just chose to try harder, work harder, make it the next
time. We tried to live for God without increasing God in our life.
Being overcome by life and situations is God’s grace calling
us to come aside and get more of Him. Like a water pot only half full, Jesus
says to us, “you can hold more of me than that.” Filling us up is His goal.
Filling is more than inspiring, more than motivating. Filling is making full.
When we are truly full of God life and situations are not able to rule over us.
We are just too full for that to happen.
How can you get there? There is not a one size fits all
answer. Reading your Bible, prayer, serving God and others, growth in character
are all a part. But the key is keep going, don’t quit. Work hard and intentionally
build a relationship with God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son and the indwelling
Holy Spirit. Keep living. Keep loving. Keep going. Focus more on how you and God
are doing, and everything else will follow.
"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.(Mat 6:33)
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