Tag: anxiety

The Remedy for Worry is Worship (Devotional – Matthew 6:31-34)

On By pastorjonathanIn DevotionalLeave a comment

No man ever sank under the burden of the day. It is when tomorrow’s burden is added to the burden of today that the weight is more than a man can bear. Never load yourself so.

George MacDonald

“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ “For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day [is] its own trouble.

Matthew 6:31-34 NKJV

It’s only natural that stressed-out people eat more desserts, because “stressed” spelled backward is “desserts.” Okay so maybe that’s not why, but for many people (like me), sweets can become a coping mechanism to deal with the stresses of life. I don’t know the psychology of it all, but it probably goes something like this, “stress and worry are making me feel bad. This dessert tastes good and helps me feel good.” But of course, sweets don’t really solve our stress/ worry problems and often they make things worse (That bite of cake spends but just a moment on the lips and a lifetime on the hips… or so I’ve been told).

When you are stressed you might reach for a different coping mechanism. You might go for cigarettes, judge other people, clean the house or even head to the gym for a workout (I wish those last two were my main coping mechanisms). There is so much you can not control, a coping mechanism is something you can control, even people who are taking substances to help them “lose control” are in a sense trying to control how they go out of control… If you think about it, we’re all control freaks. We stress and worry over the things and outcomes we can’t really control.

The truth is that while we cannot control some things that cause us stress, God is in control of all things, and that should give us real peace! In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus reminds us that there are many things beyond our control that we don’t have to worry about (like food and clothes)! There is only one thing we really need to focus on: His Kingdom and Righteousness!

The remedy for worry (and the anxiety/ stress associated with it) is worship! When we worship in the face of worry, we are reminded of how big God is and how he cares even for all of our needs. Our worry seems like such a small thing. We know that where God guides us, he will provide for us.

In Matthew 14, Peter dared to get out of the boat and walk on water at just the word of Jesus! He was fine walking on water when his focus was on the Lord, but when we lost sight of Jesus is when worry and fear jumped in and threatened to drown him! It’s easy to worry when our eyes aren’t on Jesus, it’s hard to worship when your eyes are on worry.

Father, thank you for your word. There are so many things in my life that I want to control, but the truth is that I can’t. Help me to trust that you are in control. Let my focus be on your kingdom and righteousness. Give me the grace to live my life right in the middle of your will. Don’t let me try and control my way out of your will, but let me be wholly submitted to you! In Jesus Name, Amen.

Whenever I Am Afraid, I Will Trust In You (Psalm 56)

On By pastorjonathanIn DevotionalLeave a comment

PSALM 56

Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.

PSALM 56:3

WHENEVER I AM AFRAID, I WILL TRUST IN YOU

David was on the run for his life from Saul. He ended up in the town where Goliath (the giant he killed) was from. It was a horrible situation. He certainly had cause for anxiety and fear. He is running for his life from the king of Israel and he ended up in the hometown of a hero to the Philistines, whom he happened to have killed. His life is in danger from all sides.

How do you begin to sing praise to God when you are afraid for your life? How do you deal with the mounting pressure that seems like it will never let up? How do you handle the stress of having so many enemies? Somehow David finds a place to pen this prayer and song to the Lord.

Verse three summarizes everything beautifully, “Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in you.” David knows where to go when his life is filled with stress and anxiety. He goes to God confidently knowing that God is for him (see verse 9) and so his cause won’t fail. He is seeking God with his whole heart. We fight anxiety by faith in God. He knows that bringing his anxiety to God will help him face his fears.

And it worked. There would be other days of fear and anxiety in David’s life, but he knew where to take it all. He prayed and he trusted the Lord. God’s promises held firm. God’s word held true for David and it holds true for us today when we trust him.

What we read in God’s word is multiplied when we share it with others. Who needs this short verse of encouragement in their life today? Who can you encourage?

PRAYER

Father, I am grateful that you are “for me.” You have called me, chosen me, set me apart, that through Christ I might become on of your children. As Paul says in Romans, If you are for me, who could be against me? So today I am placing all of my fears and anxieties in your hands. When I feel afraid, I will trust in you. Let this be the one things my mind and soul cling to more than any other. Thank you for your overwhelming grace and kindness to me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

I’m reading and blogging the Psalms Through The Summer. I’d love for you to join me. You can find out a little more here.

Day 79: 1 Peter 4-5 (NEW TESTAMENT 90)

On By pastorjonathanIn DevotionalLeave a comment

Today’s reading comes from 1 Peter 4-5 follow the link provided here to read the ESV online.

We are certainly living in a day and age where there is plenty of worry. I am grateful for the word we find here near the end of 1 Peter that reminds us to cast all our cares on the LORD (5:7). Sometimes we hold on to our burdens, worries, and anxieties and that is not good for us. Like bread rising in the oven our anxiety multiplies and compounds upon itself and before we know it we are overcome. We need a place to go. What grace that we can take our burdens to the Lord.

We can take our burdens to the Lord because he cares for us. I am amazed that the sovereign LORD, creator God would condescend to care for us. I am well aware of the abundant love and mercy that is available from his pouring our. Caring for us means that he is actively at work in our lives providing the things we need. We can cast our anxieties on the LORD, because he is able to take our anxieties and fears. He meets us at the point of our greatest need!

The only problem is that I like to hold on to my anxieties for too long. Like holding on to a matchstick while it is burning down. We know that we should let go sooner rather than later, but still we wait until we are burnt to let them go. We shouldn’t let our anxieties consume us before we give them to the Lord. We should give them right away. We should “cast” them on the LORD. That is we fling them and let go, letting them fly into the LORD’s hands. He’s got them, he can be trusted. We just have to humble ourselves and let go of our pride and trust him.

FATHER, We thank you for your grace. We are grateful that you care for us. We rejoice to know that we can cast all our cares on you. We pray that you would give us humility to do just that. I pray that we would trust you in every moment of life. When anxiety rises in our hearts, remind us of this promise that we might be quick to remember and quick to cast our cares on you. Thank you for the immeasurable grace of leading your people. IN JESUS NAME, AMEN.

What did you take away from today’s reading? What are your thoughts or questions? Feel free to comment below and enter the discussion.

Find out about New Testament 90 – Here

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Living a Grace-Paced Life in a Burnout Culture (A simple review of the book “ReSet”)

On By pastorjonathanIn books, spiritual disciplines, Time ManagementLeave a comment

Do you find yourself burning out? Is Monday one of the most dreaded days of the week? Are you tired all the time? Are you short-tempered with the people closest to you? Do you find yourself stressed and anxious all the time? Are you drinking too much coffee, just to get through the day?  Those are just some of the questions that David Murray asks in his latest book, “ReSet: Living a Grace-Paced Life in a Burnout Culture.”

reset bookDavid does a phenomenal job of writing specifically to Christian pastors about the need to rest and have a take a God-ordained Sabbath. Often, we find that those who preach well about taking a Sabbath break are it’s biggest violators. By outlining the different ways that burnout shows up and how it effects our families and our ministries, David helps the reader to understand that we weren’t designed to do ministry 24/7. Even the most gifted pastor is required to take a break. Mr. Murray even accuses pastors of not trusting in the provision of God and perhaps thinking we are more necessary than we are. By accepting our limits, we are accepting his grace and can be empowered to more effective ministry. 

Reset is full of relevant information about how to disconnect and recharge in a ministry setting. The author has gone out of his way to bring relevant resources and practices to the table and write not only a convicting book, but one with a clear path forward for working the Sabbath day back into the busy routine of being a pastor. 

As one that tends to burn the candle at both ends, I am very thankful for David’s book and the reminder and practical guidelines on how to “ReSet.” I’m not all there yet, but because of David’s faithfulness to write this book, I’m making strides and growing in my ability to reclaim the Sabbath rest in my life. I appreciate David and his pastoral heart as he writes from both experience and conviction to men in the ministry.

This is a great book for anyone in the ministry and a good reminder that those of us who are leaders in the church that it is good for our congregation and good for our soul to take a break and live in the power of grace.

Fight Anxiety with Faith in God, not Faith in You (Nehemiah 2:18-20)

On By pastorjonathanIn Devotional, Nehemiah1 Comment

Anxiety can come into our lives though all sorts of avenues. One of the key ways it can creep in though facing opposition. We can hear the negative voices around us and begin to believe them. We can second guess our own thoughts, efforts and plans simply because of what someone else said. Often it is too easy to listen to the voices of the doubters, the haters, and the plain old enemies. So what do you do when you face anxiety because you have listened too much to the voices of your detractors?

Go back and you remember the vision. You remember the plans that were put in your heart, not by your own ambition or effort, but by almighty God himself. You remind yourself that if God is for it… does it matter whose voice is against it?

Cover

And the officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, and I had not yet told the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials, and the rest who were to do the work. Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer suffer derision.” And I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me. And they said, “Let us rise up and build.” So they strengthened their hands for the good work. But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant and Geshem the Arab heard of it, they jeered at us and despised us and said, “What is this thing that you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?” Then I replied to them, “The God of heaven will make us prosper, and we his servants will arise and build, but you have no portion or right or claim in Jerusalem.” (Nehemiah 2:16-20 ESV)

This is what Nehemiah does. When the contemporary leaders of the territories surrounding Jerusalem were pressing in on him, saying that they would get his permissions revoked and that he had no right to rebuild a wall (before a brick was even put on top of another). He didn’t appeal to his own courage, he didn’t appeal to his relationship to the king; he appealed to the will of almighty God. He knew God was in it and therefore it was going to happen. There was no room for anxiety.

So when you face opposition (and you will) be sure to press into God. For years I have been praying the Lord’s prayer (Matthew 6:9-11) as a way of helping me take the focus off the struggles in front of me and placing it on God’s plan and purpose for my life. If he has given you a vision or a dream to reach others, then be sure that He will deliver you, your job is to stay humble and stay close. Make sure that all along the way you are pointing others to the work that God will do and is doing. To take credit for it yourself to stumble and fall before you have reached the finish line.