Often, I find myself answering the question, “How was your day?” with a simple “Fine.” But in reality, my day probably wasn’t "fine". Because when I say fine, I mean, not okay, not at all. More often than not, the root cause of “un-fineness” is anxiety-related issues and suffering.
People who don’t deal with anxiety may not recognize the suffering that comes with thoughts and worries. But those of us with a worrisome heart know that this issue is a real trial for our bodies, minds, and if we’re not careful, our souls.
Anxiety can look different for different people. For some, it may be a college exam. Others may face a marital crisis. And others may be in fear of what the future holds. When these thoughts and issues arise, overwhelming feelings and anxiety can be crippling.
In the world, we come face-to-face with a lot of problems. While the world keeps spinning, those problems keep growing, and its often hard to face on our own. I mean, wouldn’t it be magnificent to see the fairy godmother come and bibbiti-bobbiti-boo our problems away? But we know this isn’t going to happen because we’re living in a fallen and broken world.
For an anxious heart, it is hard to see the bright side. When I used to make my worries known to friends, they would say, “Pray about it.” And if I were honest with you, I didn’t want to pray about it. I didn’t want to come to God with my anxious heart. I just wanted the worries to go away or be fixed. I felt alone, and I didn’t think talking to God was going to change much about that…But then I did it. And by searching scriptures, I found that I wasn’t alone and warned these struggles would come.
“God, hear my cry;
pay attention to my prayer.
I call to you from the ends of the earth
when my heart is without strength.
Lead me to a rock that is high above me” (Psalm 61:1-2).
David says, “when” my heart is without strength, not “if.”
“Dear friends, don’t be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you, as if something unusual were happening to you. Instead, rejoice as you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may also rejoice with great joy when his glory is revealed” (1 Peter 4:12-13).
Peter says, “don’t be surprised.”
“I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world” (John 16:33).
And Jesus says, “You will have suffering.”
Each of these verses tells us the same thing. Yes, we’re going to have struggles. We shouldn’t be surprised but prepared. By ignoring the word during times of trouble and stress, we will never understand the cure. If we look at each of these verses, we’ll not only see that we should be prepared for trouble to strike, we should see the hope of overcoming it.
David says, to seek to the Rock of our salvation.
Peter says, rejoice!
Jesus says, be courageous!
Blessed assurance is found during any trial, heartache, mistake, or hurt when we know it He has overcome. Jesus didn’t leave us with struggles and no hope of fixing it. He offered hope by conquering the world and everything in it. So, no matter the crippling anxiety you’re facing, hope is never far away.
Activist and speaker Christine Caine said, “The devil on his best day, didn’t take you out on his worst day.”
With God’s grace, you’ve already made it this far! Anxiety never has to be faced alone. Through prayer, supplication, and recognition of the scripture, we know who is in control and what’s to come.
Seek Him and His promises, and your fears are eased.
“I sought the Lord, and he answered me
and rescued me from all my fears” (Psalms 34:4).
