The Life-Changing Practice of Trust Over Anxiety
"For I, the LORD your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.” Isaiah 41:13
If this world has taught us anything in recent months it is this: We are not in control. Our peace of mind has been assaulted with uncertainty, loss of health, security and life as we’ve known it. These are things we have all relied on and with them now in question we must decide where to turn. Is it the news? Is it the “experts”?
Or is it a God who is not surprised by anything?
For many, when we feel we’ve lost control, anxiety inevitably takes hold. We hear “do not be anxious” but what is the root of all anxiety? Fear. It is a panic over our lack of control over our circumstances and ultimately, a lack of trust that God is going to show up. In those anxious moments, what is it that we really need most?
In our flesh, we desire answers, a restored sense of control and a return to what is comfortable. But what we really NEED is God’s presence and a reminder that no matter what happens, we are not alone and we have a God who promises help.
The Bible is clear that the enemy’s favorite go-to is our mind. Where does anxiety begin? The mind. Our enemy delights in causing us to fear, question, doubt and worry ourselves into a frenzy over things we cannot control so much to the point that we cannot function in the world – much less thrive, as God would have us. As long as he can keep us fearful and distracted in our minds, he can render us ineffective in the purposes God intends for our lives.
Anxiety is fear and fear is a weapon of the enemy. But we are given the greatest defense against this weapon in the form of God’s Word.
Did you know that God’s Word tells us “do not fear” 365 times? Yes - one for every single day of the year. This tells us that we do not have a God who is indifferent to our worries. He knows that in this broken world, fear is inevitable and when those moments come, we have a God who promises to hold our right hand and walk us step by step and moment by moment through our worries, our fear, our anxiety.
Every time you are tempted to be afraid of all of the “what if’s” harassing your peace each day, remember this: God took the time in His Word to give you a word for each day and that word is to “fear not”.
You, my friend, have a choice as to whether or not you agree with fear or place your trust in God.
As the dawn breaks, begin your day with an acknowledgement of God’s goodness and His presence in your life followed by your intentional choice to place your full trust in Him for the coming day ahead.
So, before your feet even hit the floor, make the decision to look up and replace anxiety with “I trust you, God”. This is a simple, and yet life changing practice. Why? Because after a while, your choice becomes a habit and your habit becomes a lifestyle and as a result, your mindset will shift to a place of complete trust in His plan and provision for your life. The reward of this first step, my friend, will have you walking out your days in perfect peace, come what may.
