Meditating on HIS words: Joshua 1:8
November’s Theme: Gratitude
siyach or hagah
הֲגוֹת
Do Not Be Anxious
Relax and Focus: Find a quiet space to get ready to read the verses
Read: Philippians 4:6-7 “ (6)Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. (7) And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (NIV)
Reflect: Recent research completed by Amazon shared that the most popular Bible passages searched are those focused on how to heal anxiety. In fact, our chosen verses for this week were on the top of the list. With Thanksgiving just 3 weeks away, family anxiety, for some, is a real thing. It can be a painful experience to walk through the doors of family members and to try to keep it together. Yet, we know the primary mission of God is to trust him in all that we do. Anxiety is treated through clinical therapy, coupled with other alternative applications. Pastoral counseling is also a popular choice for some. There are many ways and steps to treat the symptoms.
From a Christian perspective, when faced with such anxiety, who do you turn to? Do you turn to friends, family, or do you turn to Him? God’s love is never alternative therapy. He should be the first one we turn to. The vast amount of love God has for us can be sometimes overwhelming when we believe that we are not worthy. Yet, he is the ultimate therapist.
The Apostle Paul wrote “do not be anxious about anything. As we move closer to Thanksgiving and Christmas reflect on these questions:
- When I am feeling anxious, how can I make time to spend with the Lord?
- How can I deal better, with the criticism from family members who do not know the Lord?
- How can adjust my feelings to serve as teacher to those who don’t know God?
These are simple questions that may come with complex answers. The Apostle Paul who was in prison when he wrote these verses, peacefully summarized how he dealt with the issues of his time. Echo his teachings and practice how you can better apply them into your everyday life.
Discern on the answers you’ve provided to these questions. Keep them near as a reference point for you during times of despair .
Rest: Rest your thoughts and consider ways you could move from anger, disappointment or feeling sorry for yourself.
Discuss: Share your findings with family members and friends who are open to listen. Be sure to discuss why this is important to you, and thank them for allowing you to share your thoughts and feelings.
Feel free to also share on the comment link below or by clicking on the facebook icon.