Sorry I missed a few days! I seem to have very little down time lately. Time management, what is THAT all about? But I’ve got to come back to this because it has been an amazing project for me. The word of God is living, and the evidence is no more clear than when you are met with an anxiety trigger and instead of the panic you usually feel rising in your chest, your mind is filled with His precious words of peace. I am with you. I am your shield.
If you are struggling with anxiety I encourage you to hide His words in your heart. They will come to you when you need them, and I can’t even begin to explain the elation of utter calm where there should be anxiety. It is a work in progress for me, but I want everyone who struggles with anxiety to experience this peace, and it is the peace that can come only from God’s amazing words.
Exodus 14:13-14:
13 Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. 14 The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.”
These words are spoken to calm the terrified Israelites who are stranded on the shore of the Red Sea after leaving Egypt, the incensed Egyptians in hot pursuit. Needless to say, they’ve got plenty to be afraid of. They have left everything they have known for 430 years to follow a shy and stuttering man into the wilderness because he talked to a bush! And yet God proved Himself faithful through the plagues and the protection of His people. The Israelites had no reason to fear considering the track record of God’s faithfulness, and yet they succumbed to the appearance of their immediate circumstances.
And how often do we do the same thing? Looking back over our lives it is easy to see where God’s hand has protected us, sheltered us, and led us through even the most terrible of times. And yet when we are faced with a new challenge, it is so easy to tremble and shake and let the anxiety strengthen its icy grip, chipping away at our sense of well-being, our confidence, and everything that makes me me and you you.
But if we can just be still for a moment and remember all the things that God has led us through, even those things that didn’t turn out the way we hoped they might, if we can realize that He never intended for us to fight our battles alone, then we can find that unexplainable peace in the knowledge that He is in complete control of our situation.All things work together for the good of those who love Him. It doesn’t mean things will be easy (ask the Israelites, who went from 430 years in slavery straight into 40 years wandering in the wilderness!), but they will work together for good. You can take that to the bank.
Stand firm! The Lord will fight for you. You need only to be still.
God is giving us permission to cast our cares on Him, lay our burdens at His feet, and for goodness sake, RELAX. Take a deep breath. Take a bubble bath. Drink a glass of wine, if that’s your thing. Make some coffee. Snuggle with your dog. Take a walk. Read His word. Sit quietly in the presence of God. Meditate on His word. Being still isn’t about apathy, it’s about recognizing that you are not in control, and rather than letting that knowledge terrify you, follow it up with remembering who IS in control. Stand firm and be still.
Sounds good to me!
Fear Not # 5- He will fight for us.
Fear Not # 4- He will go down with us and He will bring us back.
Fear Not # 3- He is with us.
Fear Not # 2- He hears us in the place where we are.
Fear Not # 1- He is our shield.
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