Give your worries to God

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” John‬ ‭14‬:‭27‬ ‭ESV‬‬

  • ”Let not your heart be troubled, neither let them be afraid”, easier said the done ‭I think! But it does make me question, how is my heart? How is yours? What causes it to feel troubled? How do we claim this peace that Jesus promises? 
  • Anxiety, the kind that keeps you up at night, or causes you to toss and turn. The scenarios that play out in your mind. The what if’s. And you just wish there was a switch you could use to turn off your mind. With the world changing around us, at what seems like the speed of light, it’s a wonder we may feel anxious from time to time. There just seems to be so much negativity and hate in the world around us.  Lawlessness seems to be on the increase; people are not held accountable for their actions but released back on the streets only to harm again. Innocent children being caught in the crossfire,and no one comes to their defense. Immorality seems to be the norm and when you speak against it you’re the one who’s wrong. Seeing our country slowing going downhill and getting worse every day or at least that’s how I feel. And then another school shooting! Which leaves me wondering what is wrong with the hearts and minds of our children? 
  • As I was sewing the other day, and thinking about these anxious thoughts running through my mind, I decided to stop and see what the Scriptures have to say about anxiety. Turns out it’s a lot:) In Philippians 4:6, Paul reminds us to be anxious for nothing…in Matthew 6:25-34, Jesus tells us multiple times not to be anxious about our life…in Isaiah 7:4, when the people were afraid of the army coming against them, the Lord told them to be quiet, do not fear, or let your heart be troubled…and in Isaiah 41:10, God tells us not to fear or be dismayed. I’m sure there are many others, but no where could I find a single verse where God instructs us to worry or be anxious! If anything, we are commanded to be strong and courageous!(See Joshua 1:9). In fact in that same chapter the Lord tells us multiple times to be Strong and Courageous! In Deuteronomy 31:6,8, we are instructed again to be strong and courageous, to not fear or be dismayed. Why? Because the Lord promises, throughout the Scriptures, that He will never leave us or forsake us. He is always with us. He goes before us. He fights for us. He is in our side!
  • So when we feel anxious or afraid, or when we're overwhelmed by our struggles, or just tired of all the stuff we’re bombarded with daily, perhaps that is when we can call upon the peace that the Lord has given us! A peace that helps us remember He is fighting our battles. He is working all things for our good! 
  • And remind ourselves of Psalm 55:22 (ESV)which says, “Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.” 
  • We can be encouraged by David in Psalm 37. “Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb.” 
  • We can remember that God is in the details we cannot see, as in Habakkuk 2:3, “For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.” 
  • And remind our hearts to, “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” Psalms 27:14(NIV)
  • Let us trust and remember that God is in control, He has a plan, and nothing happens without His knowledge. Let us rest in the assurance of His love and His peace. A peace “which surpasses all understanding” and “will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭7‬ ‭ESV‬‬‭


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