Anxious for Nothing - It’s a low-grade fear. An edginess, a dread. It’s a wind that won’t stop howling. It’s not so much a storm as it is the certainty that one is coming. Always…coming. There is misfortune to be had out there. It’s just a matter of time. And what about the tsunami of personal challenges? You, or someone you know, is facing a job loss, fighting cancer, dealing with divorce, battling addiction, or facing financial hardship. We worry. We even feel anxious about feeling anxious. Take heart, my friend. We all encounter anxiety, but we don’t have to give in to it. There is a path out to the valley of fret, and the road map is found in the verses of Philippians 4:4-8. There are some key mile markers along the road to peace and calm.
Celebrate God’s goodness.
Ask God for help.
Leave your concerns with Him.
Meditate on good things.
Is God sovereign over your circumstances? Is He mightier than your problems? Does He have answers to your questions? According to scripture, the answer is: yes, yes, and yes! Trust Him and you can “be anxious for nothing.”
Come Thirsty - Have been sipping out of a swamp? Drinking the deluge of life? There’s stuff in that water that you were never meant to drink. Pills? They may numb the pain, but they can’t heal a heart. Money? Sure, it can buy what your body needs for survival, but it can’t supply what your soul needs. Religion? It may pacify, but it can never satisfy. The busyness of church may hide a thirst, but only Christ quenches it. Don’t you long to flush out the fear…anxiety…guilt? You can. All are welcome. You don’t have to be rich, religious, or successful; you simply need to follow the instructions on what—or better, who—to drink. Him. For the sake of those who need your love, hydrate your soul! Heed your thirst. Drink deeply and often. And out of you will flow rivers of living water.
Traveling Light - Weary travelers. You’ve seen them—everything they own crammed into their luggage. Staggering through terminals and hotel lobbies with overstuffed suitcases, trunks, duffels and backpacks. Backs ache, feet burn, eyelids droop. We’ve all seen people like that. At times, we are people like that—if not with our physical luggage, then at least with our spiritual load. We all lug loads we were never intended to carry. Fear, worry, discontent. No wonder we get so weary. We’re worn out from carrying that excess baggage. Wouldn’t it be nice to lose some of those bags? That’s the invitation of Max Lucado. With the twenty-third Psalm as our guide, let’s release some of the burdens we were never intended to bear.