Dealing With Anxiety: Have Faith, For ‘God Is Our Partner’
“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint” (Isaiah 40:31 NIV).
Waiting is a daily occurrence: We wait in line at the grocery store, post office or on the phone. Sometimes, we are waiting long-term for news regarding a loved one who has suddenly become ill or was in an accident. Waiting is also a part of joyous occasions such as the birth of a child or marriage. In any case, worrying almost always leads to anxiety. I have five favorite scriptures that I refer to in times of waiting.
1) In Isaiah 40:31, it says: “…but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”
We follow God and he doesn’t follow us. The Lord is promising us His stamina if we have faith in Him. Our faith is demonstrated by maintaining our faith while waiting and knowing that he will act.
2) In Psalm 46:10, He says: “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
This is calming scripture in times of worry and has been my “’go-to’ verse in times of uncertainty. We should meditate on each word of “Be still, and know that I am God” and peacefully wait for the peace that surpasses all understanding.
3) Matthew 6:26-27 reads: “Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?” Our God loves us more than we can begin to comprehend. God will provide His daily bread to us all.
4) In Philippians 4:6-7, it states: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Once we have prayed and given our worries to God, we are freeing ourselves from the chains of anxiety. God will take our worry and replace it with a peace that cannot be described with mere human words.
5) In Matthew 11:28-30, it reads: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
God is our partner and once we accept His yoke and let Him work in tandem with us, we can accomplish so much more.
When a friend helps you through a difficult period, he or she is acting as the Body of Christ and providing His yoke to you. In turn, you will hopefully pass the yoke on to somebody else when they are in need.
In summary, remember that you are loved by God and He wants you to come to him in prayer and unburden yourself of worry and fear. You are far more valuable than the birds in the air and the lilies in the field. In fact, you are a child of the risen Christ.
Prayer: Dear God we live in a fallen world and we have so many worries about ourselves and our loved ones. Help us to give these worries over to you and to not take them back. We know that You have plans to prosper us and not to harm us. We know that You have plans to give us hope and a future. We thank you for your tremendous love which we cannot even begin to fully comprehend. Please help us cast out the fear in our lives and replace it with the confidence that can only come from your love. Amen.
Meet the Author
Todd Shupe is a Men’s Ministry Specialist through the General Commission of United Methodist Men and is in training to be a Certified Lay Minister through the Louisiana Conference of the United Methodist Church. He currently serves as the President of the Baton Rouge District of United Methodist Men and is a Board Member for Gulf South Men and serves on the Action Team for The Kingdom Group. He is a volunteer for the Walk to Emmaus, Grace Camp, and Iron Sharpens Iron. Todd resides in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
We welcome your comments below.
Thank you for visiting. We trust that you have enjoyed reading our articles.
Liked this post?
Read more below or search for more topics…
-
Obstacles to Joy
Obstacles to Joy
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33 NIV).
We all have stress and anxiety. These are obstacles to the happiness that we all seek. I think what is important is how we deal with these obstacles. A little bit of stress is natural and no problem. It can be helpful and protect us from dangerous situations. Regardless of the source of our stress, we as Christians have a proven method to rid ourselves of it but it takes courage…
Read More -
Recipe for Joy
Recipe for Joy
“I will continue to rejoice. For I know that as you pray for me and the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, this will lead to my deliverance” (Philippians 1:18-19 NLT).
I love to cook. As any chef will tell you, the key to a good dish is the proper ingredients. Sometimes if I cook something good, I wonder what can I add to make it great? God is known by many names but is seldom referred to as the “master chef.” However, He provides all the ingredients we need to regain our joy.
Sometimes in life things are simply falling…
Read More -
Understanding Love Through Reading Scripture
Understanding Love Through Reading from the Scripture
“So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love”(1 Corinthians 13:13 ESV).Perhaps the most common scripture that is read at a wedding is from 1 Corinthians 13. This is beautiful scripture that defines what is — and what is not — love. This scripture reveals the deep and unbreakable love that God has for us. Love is the heart of the Gospel because God is love. When Jesus was asked to identify the greatest commandment in the Law, He responded, “Love the Lord your God with all…
Read More
