THIS SERIES: KICK THE WORRY HABIT1. KICK THE WORRY HABIT 2. DIG WORRY UP BY ITS ROOTS 3. STRATEGIES FOR BUILDING TRUST IN GOD 4. REPLACE WORRY WITH HOPE 5. WHY WE SHOULD WATCH WHAT WE SAY 6. WORRIED ABOUT TOO MUCH TO DO? 7. STOP STRIVING, START BELIEVING Sometimes we respond to anxiety by doing more, and we attempt to conquer the inner unrest by our own efforts. Doing more masks anxiety; believing more deals with the heart of the issue. Not long ago I had a challenging project to complete, and in true ‘unregenerate’ fashion I threw myself at it, working long hours, striving after its completion. Often, I felt it was ‘pitched too high for my voice’ (a wonderful expression which I believe originated with Martin Luther); and the temptation lurked to jack it all in and go and do something else. However, believing the assignment was God-given I just didn’t have the liberty to abandon it. Sometimes our worry-habit masquerades as diligence. Sometimes we respond to anxiety by doing more, and we attempt to conquer the inner unrest by our own efforts. One day when it all seemed a bit too much, I went for a walk—my usual go-to activity to quiet the soul and be with the Lord; and began to pour out my heart to Him. He began to show me that key areas of my life—spiritual and physical health—had been neglected in my busyness, and needed readjusting. And then He said, 'Why don’t you stop striving, and start believing? You are tired and weary with working so hard, why don’t you exercise your faith instead?' FAITH STARTS WITH RELATIONSHIP And the place to kick-start believing is in the presence of God. Faith is a choice, but it flows out of relationship. I had been working so hard, I had been neglecting my time alone with my Father. I needed to restore the pattern of regular time in His presence, listening to His voice, and receiving the empowerment of His Spirit. I needed the rivers of living water to flow from inside-out once again. From that place it was easy to trust in His supply. BELIEVE IN HIS PROVISION The cure for our worries is in the all-encompassing provision of God; so it’s important that we know what His provision is for our circumstances. These are some of the things I needed for my project:
I had a choice to make: I could choose to lift the load alone, or I could ask my Father to take the weight. I could opt to rest in His presence and in the abundance of His provision; or I could do it by my own efforts (punctuated periodically by cries for help). It’s a no brainer, really. Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in Him, for He shields him all day long, and the one the Lord loves rests between His shoulders. [Deuteronomy 33:12] RESOURCESAnd a beautiful prayer from Alisa Turner: And for more in this series, lick at the bottom left of the page. NEXT WEEK: NEW SERIES: Meditations for Easter GET IN TOUCH![Photo credits: Marije Woudsma (juggling girl); Liane Metzler (baby's hand); James Lee (two birds) @ Unsplash, with thanks]
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