Dealing with Anxiety
Exodus 14:12 "Didn't we say to you in Egypt, 'Leave us alone; let us serve
the Egyptians'? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to
die in the desert!" (NIV)
When I first became a Christian, I found it tough to try to live up to Christ’s
standards. I wanted to remain the same, and for Christ to be different. I wanted
Him to accept who I was, instead of me accepting His terms of belief. I wanted
Jesus to be my friend, my pal, my best buddy, especially during those times when
I wanted to go out and get drunk, paint the town red, and do whatever I desired.
In other words, I wanted Christ to save me, but to still let me do what I had
always done.
But being double-minded just didn’t work. I was always fighting within myself to
overcome temptation, and then when I failed, I fought with my pride to overcome
my need to confess. One moment I was happy with the Lord; the very next I was
angry with Him. I’m certain that there was some psychological scarring going on,
and old wounds that had never been healed were beginning to fester, as well as
pester me.
What was occurring was an ancient work of God. I was being convicted and
afflicted by the Holy Spirit, but I didn’t understand it at the time. I had
given my heart to Jesus, but not my whole life. I was still keeping some things
back, some things that I wanted to possess on my own. The trouble was this: the
more I held back from Christ, the less able I was to deal with temptation. The
more absorbed I became with my my desires, the less faithful I was to God.
At some point, the struggle reached a point when I had to either give up being a
Christian, or go forward in faith. I had to let go of the past and move on with
Christ. I had to let go of Egypt, and let God lead me through my spiritual
wilderness to Christ’s Promised Land. After struggling for months, I eventually
surrendered my soul. It wasn’t easy, but it was the best thing that I have ever
done in my life.
Perhaps you’re struggling with an issue from the past, or are deeply troubled
about your present circumstances. Maybe you’re pining for the good old days, or
fearful of what lies ahead. Whatever you are experiencing, it’s time to
surrender it all to Christ and place it in His hands. Being depressed about the
past or anxious about the future just saps your energy, well-being, and health.
Put yourself in Christ’s arms; He’ll embrace you and all of that baggage that
you’re carrying. He’ll help you through the emotional wilderness that you’re in,
and lead you to a better life, a more hopeful time, and a brighter day. Trust
me; I know this to be true.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, help us to surrender our lives to You today. Give us the
courage to let go of our fears and worries, so that we can replace them with
faith and assurance in You. In Your Holy Name, we earnestly pray. Amen.
John Stuart traqair@aol.com
Knoxville, Tennessee, USA