Anxiety Part 2

 

I’m Duane Matz and welcome to Today’s Living Word.

 

Anxiety Part 2

Anxiety and forgetfulness.

 

I want to continue to talk about anxiety and panic in today’s Living Word. Statistically it’s on the rise worldwide, and it affects unbelievers and believers alike. I pray the Lord will use this time together to help those who are caught up in this living hell of irrational fear.

 

To delve a little deeper into the subject, let’s begin with a verse from  the Old Testament, 1Sa 14:15, “And there was trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. The garrison and the raiders also trembled; and the earth quaked, so that it was a very great trembling. (1 Sam 14:15)

 

Panic, anxiety, it spreads like wildfire doesn't it? Even in the lives of believers, it can grip us and cause us to take our eyes off of Jesus. That's what happened when Peter fell in the drink, remember?  We read about in in Mt 14:29-31:

 

“So He said, "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.  30 But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!"  31 And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"

 

Why did he sink? Because he became afraid and when he became afraid, he forgot, and when he forgot doubt crept in.

 

So much of my own struggles with fear and panic stem from the fact that I forget. I am so consumed by the “what ifs” that I take my eyes off Jesus, His Word, and His track record.  I forget who He is and His faithful promises.

 

I forget that He has said in “  Mt 6:34 "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

 

I forget the recommendation from  1Pe 5:7 “casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.”

 

And I forget that God is not asleep. Nothing takes Him by surprise  Ps 121:3 says, “He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber.

 

I pray that Jesus will help me and anyone else who struggles with anxiety to remember these verses when we need them, especially at the beginning of anxiety, lest it become like a raging wildfire in our heart that robs us and those around us  of peace and joy. 

 

 

I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word