Life
is insecure at best and terrifying at its worse. People say that bad things
happen in threes, but at times in my life, I have counted five or six stressful
catastrophes in a row.
I
learned early on in life not to expect anything good to happen. That way, when
good did happen, I was mildly pleased; but when it did not occur, I was not
overly disappointed either.
As
an authentic Believer, we learn to cast all of our anxious thoughts on God's strong
shoulders - to leave them in His benevolent heart and to have faith in His
faithfulness instead of in people (Mark 10:22; 1 Peter 5:7).
As
we turn our attention away from our self and onto helping other people, we continue
to heal from anxiety. This brings inner peace because we help to ease another's
burdens and we find fulfillment in sharing our abilities and resources.
As
we pray during each moment for God's will and direction, we acknowledge that
God is in control of our life (Proverbs 3:5-6; Philippians 4:6-8). This reduces
anxiety quicker than any mantra or affirmation we can repeat.
God
orders our steps and gives us the grace to enter into His rest (Hebrews 13:5).
His presence in our life allows Him to provide serenity in anxious situations.
He helps us to set priorities and to follow them.
This
habit is comforting and provides us with a routine to which we can establish
and adhere. Routine limits anxious feelings and defines our responsibilities
according to the will of God, rather than our own stressful agenda.
I
do not hide from life any longer. I know from experience that our Daddy God is
faithful, I experience security by walking in His presence and praying without
ceasing, and I find fulfillment and peace in the comfort of the shadow of His
wings.
Prayer:
Father
God, remind us that prayer is not created for us to manipulate You or to demand
that You do our bidding in our way and timing. Our communication with You is
for our benefit, however; and we do not need to wait for a crisis, which we can
no longer control before we come to You. We wait in silence until we discover
Your will for us during each moment of our day.
Thank
You for giving us Your peace, which transcends any comfort the world attempts
to provide for us. You are only a prayer away; and yet we fail to avail our
self to the intimacy of our union with You. Thank You for abiding within us
with Your presence and for filling us with Your Spirit and fruit.
Thought
for the Day:
God
is not our puppet to manipulate according to our will, but our Savior and King
whom we willingly serve according to His will and way; He is not obligated to
grant our wishes, but He chooses to give us only the best that we need to live
a fulfilling life.
