Last evening the Discipleship Community small group that my husband and I attend at the church had barely started our discussion when this question was posed: "What area of your life requires more obedience to God's Word?" There was barely a pause when one participant identified their struggle to trust instead of worry. Before long this participant was sharing the cycle of concern and anxiety that is difficult to escape when we are feeling overwhelmed. Immediately other members began agreeing and admitting how worry plagues their days as well. One member shared how they know all the scriptures in their head to combat the conversation of their thoughts, but putting truth to practice can still be challenging. According to research, on any given day the average person has approximately 70,000 thoughts. Let's face it that can translate into a lot of wisdom or a lot of worry! It is so easy to become mentally distracted by divided thinking.
Just four days ago I began attending a five-week care and equip class for women entitled, "Quieting the Soul: A Biblical Approach to Anxiety, Fear & Despair", led by Jenn Martin, Biblical Counsellor currently on staff at Calvary Baptist Church. Recognizing the tremendous need to minister to women who battle with these debilitating emotions, she created a resource that helps a "noisy soul" begin to identify the issues we struggle to overcome and look to our God, our Overcomer.
This first week focused primarily on the divine providence of God. Like the Psalmist in Psalm 102, we constantly need the reminder that the LORD is seated on His throne, forever! From His posture of rest, He is sovereignly working out His plan. When we worry, we have God-forgetfulness. Jenn shared with us that "Worry is a description of our thoughts" which then takes up residence "in our hearts." Worry steals our concentration and perspective, preventing us from seeing the larger picture. It can control and deceive us unnecessarily when we allow it to simmer. And, have you noticed how quickly anxious thoughts reproduce? Worry has a large litter!
In her "I Feel That" teachings, Dr. Lina Abujamra shares how God created us with emotions and they are all meant to glorify God. She shares how we regard negative emotions as a spiritual failure instead of recognizing that God wants to use them for the purpose of moving us to seek Him. Our emotions are not meant to control us, but they become a tool to transform us. We far too often define ourselves by how we feel, but our emotions are not the most important thing about us. The most important thing is what we believe about God. As Lina says, the end goal of a Christian's life is not feeling better, but loving God more and walking more closely with Him. It is not about a method or a formula to cling to, but a Saviour to lean on.
When we truly understand that God is seated on His throne forever, ruling righteously over every detail of our lives, our souls will start to quiet and our emotions will surrender to His sovereignty. When we consider not only His control over everything, but His character, reflecting on His love, mercy, care, provision, faithfulness, forgiveness and grace, our hearts not only find rest, but are filled with hope.
The Psalmist also recorded, "In the multitude of my thoughts within me Thy comforts delight my soul." (Psalm 94:19, KJV) That is exactly where our worry and anxiety take birth. Beginning in our mind, they can multiply and consume us, but God desires to console, calm and comfort when unwanted thoughts flood like a rising river. We continually need to pray, with Paul from 2 Corinthians 10:5, for God to help bring our thoughts captive under the Lord's control. Without Christ reining them in, we can race down so many dangerous roads. It is so exhausting when restless thoughts fill our mind. Perplexing thoughts need sacred comforts. May God rein in and reign over our anxious thoughts as we remember this truth: "But You, O LORD, will sit on Your throne forever!" Amen!
Jenn Martin: ministrytowomen.com
Lina Abujamra: I Feel That series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6pdtP_YjjbPrIv3WCpyH9g7tWpcYezqt
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