Siblings
It’s been a week! But here’s the weekend, a reminder that I’ve survived. Sometimes, amid a moment, we get embroiled in the moment itself, and forget Who holds time and seasons. If, like me, your focus shifted, here’s a reminder that God’s got us. Consider Today’s Holy Nougat.
Philippians 4:6 NIV
[6] Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Go to God
I was minding my business, looking for another verse, when our Nougat insisted on speaking to us. Perhaps it was the emphasis on managing anxiety. Anxiety, a feeling of dread, fear, or dis-ease about something that is yet to come. Though it’s often triggered by the past, anxiety is also futuristic, it focuses on the worst-case scenario that could occur. It is not surprising therefore to learn that anxiety can be a form of poor mental health.
Experts in the field of Science and Medicine agree that there are healthy, natural levels of anxiety. But extreme anxiety is dangerous for our mental and physical health. One report argues that as much as 1 in 20 people in the UK are grappling with a generalised anxiety disorder (more information at https://mentalhealth.org.uk ).
Self-Check
What makes us anxious, and how are our anxiety levels today?
Deeper Dive
As believers in God, anxiety can be seen as unbelief, since operatively, our mental action denounces God’s ability to take care of us by rectifying whatever it is that concerns us. That applies to you, me, and anyone who’s grappled with, is currently facing, or will deal with anxiety at some point in our life. Remember the disciples and the storm? Despite Y’shua’s calm – so much so that He was fast asleep – they were panicked. In their anxiety, they failed to see that if Christ were in the boat, it was well. Rather, they focused on their strength to save themselves.
Their strength wasn’t enough.
Their panic was unfounded.
Siblings, I propose (as I’m learning for myself) that we consider a few things when anxiety visits
1. Know the symptoms of anxiety that we are most prone to (yup, there are actions that are typical of us when anxious)
2. When we know the symptoms, we can recognise when we’re anxious (even if we deny that we are)
3. Try to determine what is actually triggering the feeling of dread, fear, or unease and why. Knowing the root cause helps us to give that situation over to God
4. Invite God into the past, so that our future can be healed. Repent of our failure to trust God and yield the entire past to God
5. Bring to memory
a) situations where God has come through despite, and start generating thanks; and
b) Scriptures that assure us of God’s capacity to save and of God’s covenant of protection and provision. Make these prayer prompts as we intercede for ourselves
6. Invite God into our situation, asking for the need to be supplied, and for release from anxiety.
7. Keep the praise and thanksgiving flowing. This isn’t about God’s ego, it is to keep ourselves focused on God.
Remember what James says: failure to believe that God will keep God’s promises breeds anxiety, i.e., double-mindedness (see James 1:7-8). In retrospect, that knowledge and memory would have saved me a lot of stress last week.
Prayer
Lord, help us see the past and the trauma it generates more clearly. We crave Your healing for the things that seek to bind us. As we claim release, may we discern Your transforming grace. This is our prayer through Y’shua our Lord, amen.
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May all we seek be found in Christ
