Be Anxious For Nothing
There are times in life when we can be overcome with anxiety and fear. Loss of a loved one, failing health, a broken marriage, wayward children, loneliness, addictions, unemployment, a natural disaster…life can be full of difficult challenges and uncertainties!
The Bible tells us to “be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving make your requests to God. And the peace, of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 4:6 & 7) Yet, this instruction can be hard to follow when our emotions are running wild and we fall into confusion, worry and fear.
Protected by the Shepherd
The Scriptures describe Jesus as the Good Shepherd who guards, protects and guides. It
also calls him a loving father who provides and cares about every detail of our lives. When we succumb to anxiety, we’re revealing our inability to trust him and how little we understand ourselves. Jesus called us sheep for many reasons – like it or not, we share similarities in character! One of the most striking is that sheep are not beasts of burden like a donkey, mule or ox. Try putting a saddle or parcel on a sheep’s back and it will slide right off! They cannot carry anything!
The Futility of Worry
This truth should help us understand the futility of being weighed down with our worries. It’s hopeless! As Jesus told us in Matthew 6:27: “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?”
In Times of Trouble
This is not meant to minimize genuinely hard circumstances that cause deep pain and turbulence or trauma. Rather, it is an invitation to bring God into the situation so his power may begin to help, heal and work things out.
The Discipline of Trust
Learning to trust is most certainly a process. It gets easier after walking with the Lord over time through many trials and tribulations, and seeing how faithful, kind and dependable He is. But, where we start is “taking every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Cor: 10:5), that is, bring our thinking into conformity with what Scripture says is true — in spite of our feelings. It is a discipline, like exercising our muscles. With practice, we get stronger over time and grow in our ability to trust that
he is loving, kind and just and more than able to help us be victorious in our circumstances.
For those of you who’ve never read the Bible, but would like to know more about God and how he can help in your situation, please leave a comment below.
| “Cast our burdens on him for he cares for you.” (I Peter 5:7)“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on our own understanding, but in all ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.” (Prov. 3:5&6) |
Painting by Ruth Palmer
http://ruthpalmerfineart.com/#home
Photo courtesy of Carol Rohrig
http://gauchomarx.wordpress.com/
Patience sure is a virtue which, if one lacks, can affect faith if the waiting takes too long! And discipline is another one hard to get down pat.. But it’s the principle of the story here that counts which I always try to aim for and agree with.
is your website compatible with iphone.because when i tried to read your blog from my iphone the sidebar got messed up.
Hello, Genevive,
The blog should now open on your Iphone. I hope you’ll be able to access easily. Let me know your thoughts!
Blessings,
~Maroosa