“Then He said to His disciples: ‘Therefore I tell you, don’t worry about your life, what you will eat; or about the body, what you will wear.” Luke 12:22 CSB
The subtitle in my Bible before this verse reads, “The Cure for Anxiety.” Have you ever thought about how anxiety is a go to emotion? We are all anxious about something. I wonder what would happen if you asked a random stranger if they had any anxieties. If they were being honest, I think they would say yes. People lie all the time to cover up their true feelings.
We are all worried about something. There’s something in our life that we can’t control, and it worries us. For instance, my husband is travelling for work this week. I get anxious when he travels because I can’t control what may or may not happen. I worry about his safety. That is one anxiety I have. During the holidays anxiety in all of our lives increases. Will they like my present? How am I going to pay for all of these presents? Who are we going to say no too? Who is going to be mad we didn’t go to their party instead of someone else’s party? The list of anxieties is endless. We live in an anxious world, surrounded by anxious people. But that is not life with Jesus. Life with Jesus, no matter what is going on around us, is calm.
How do we find calm in the midst of the holiday madness? How can we not let our anxieties control us? How can we find rest? The answer is found in Paul’s letter to the Philippians:
“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.” Phil. 4:6-7 NIV
When we find ourselves consumed with worry and anxiety, pray. Let worry be your indicator to talk to God. For me, that means I’m always praying. I think I came out of my mother’s womb worrying. But when I use my worry as a sign to talk to God, then I find peace. When I release to Him whatever burden is on my heart, I find rest. Think of worry as your “Check Engine” light, the minute it comes on, it’s your sign to go to the Mechanic. No one else can take away your worries like He can. No one else can minister to an aching soul like He can. No one else can give you calm like He can.
Today I’m going to find rest by seeking His calm. How are you going to find rest today? Comment below.
