Have you ever rushed ahead when you shouldn’t have? What about when you feel like you will burst if something doesn’t change? Have you told someone you have anxiety? Or that you struggle with being worried nervous or anxious?
No judgment here, we’ve all been through that. But sometimes we hold onto things we were never supposed to hold onto.
Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” Psalm 27:14 (ESV) David is not saying to stop working or participating in life. He’s telling us not to rush ahead of God out of fear, anxiety, or worry.
It sometimes takes more strength to be still.
Look at King Saul, anointed by Samuel, the prophet and ordained by God as the first king of Israel. He was directed into battle and told to wait until Samuel arrived to sacrifice to the Lord to gain His favor and win the battle.
He waited. And waited and waited. He became anxious, and in that moment of weakness, decided to go ahead and offer the sacrifice to God himself before going into battle.
This seems understandable and even forgivable to us. But please take note here. Because of his disobedience, Saul lost his kingship, his life, and his family‘s future. Only one of his descendants survived him, and that was only by the grace of God through David…his enemy, ordained by God to succeed him.
While not explicit in scripture, it seems to me that anxiety got the best of Saul, and he fell apart at the seams after that. He never regained his walk with God and lost his kingdom.
After that, the prophet Samuel was directed by God to go to a man named Jesse about his son and to anoint him with oil as the new king of Israel. It took some years, but David became king of Israel after Saul died by his own hand.
Be aware that anxiety seems understandable. Forgivable. But it is one of the greatest sins before God, and it traps us when we hold onto it. Choosing to be anxious, declares to the enemy that you do not trust God, your Savior, the Creator of the world.
Getting away from anxiety may seem impossible. But one choice at a time – moment by moment – to breathe, focus on a Bible verse (see below), and thank God for your life and His goodness to you can often be the first steps to healing and renewal.
Scriptures about anxiety.
- Fear, not for I have called you by name, you are Mine. Isaiah 43:1
- Do not be deceived, God is not mocked. Galatians 6:7
- Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything give thanks. Philippians 4:6
- Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path. Proverbs 3:5-6
- Perfect love casts out fear. I John 4:18
Almost every major character in the Bible was told to not be afraid. It’s understandable to be afraid, and it’s unforgivable to choose anxiety over trust in God.
Just after succeeding, Moses, Joshua is told to not be afraid something like 40 times. Fear was understandable. A rejection of obedience was unforgivable and to be obedient one must trust in God. And trust he did.
In fact, after being admonished many times himself, he proclaimed to the people that they must choose this day whom they will serve. He gave them a choice between the gods of the Egyptians… Whom their God had defeated… and the gods of the places they had visited since. God defeated all of those as well.
The same choices before you today. Tuesday, whom you will serve. Do you choose your anxiety or do you choose your Savior and Creator?
No one says it will be easy, in fact, we all know it’s understandable to be afraid. It’s unforgivable to choose anxiety over trust in your Creator and Savior.
I invite you to choose trust today. And choose it with joy! You are incredibly, unmistakably loved! You are protected. That does not mean that the world will not be against you. The world will be more against you as you follow Him than when you are sinking into the muck of sin.
But following Him is so good. Trusting Him takes strength, but it makes everything clear and gives you stamina in a way you can never imagine until you’ve tried it.
Go for it! Trust him! Be audacious and bold and unafraid as you trust in the God who created you and who loves you
Reflect:
- Acknowledge any anxiety, depression, or fear ruling your life right now
- Accept that it’s wrong to choose fear over trust in God
- Choose today to set anxiety aside every time it creeps up and turn to God in trust and obedience. If you don’t know how to do this… Ask someone for help! It’s that easy. Take it one step at a time, and do not quit!
Remember that you are loved, and important. You also have good work to do before you go to heaven. It is a gift to be on this earth, so enjoy it! Trust the One who has given you breath. He loves you so much.
James and Cindi Runyon 