- photo by Susan PageMy day began with the startling realization that we had gone from summer temperatures to chilly fall ones, overnight. That made me feel sad because I am a summer kind of girl.
Grabbing a sweater, I made breakfast and turned on the news.
My spirits plummeted to the point where I was in tears. World events were horrific. How did we get here? Where is God in this broken messed up war-torn world? People are suffering, innocent children are part of the carnage. Why can’t world leaders not see that war is not the way to solve disagreements?
Solomon once said, “There’s nothing new under the sun.” Will we never learn from history, from those who have gone before?
I know our hearts should grieve the things that grieve the heart of God, and mine does, but it can be so hard. Yet do we really know what hard even looks or feels like? We are blessed to live in a relatively safe and peaceful nation.
The next step in my day was to open my Bible App. The Comforter through His Word, soothed my troubled spirit … “When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy” (Psalm 94:19).
It was a good reminder that when we have concerns, whether they are related to world events, relationships, health or financial problems, anxiety can take a foothold. If we do not give our worries to God, our anxieties can control us.
Anxiety sometimes comes with a change in our circumstances. I am in a time of transition. My normal work routine is now behind me. It is a new season of life and can feel unsettling, at least in these beginning days. Rather than letting the anxiety of change (even good change) get the better of me, I return to the security of knowing that God is and always has been faithful. He is a God who never changes. World events constantly change as do our finances, health, relationships, and the weather. Yet even if we feel unsteady, we know that when we live by faith in God, we have a firm foundation, the Rock on which we stand. “The LORD has become my stronghold, and my God the rock of my refuge” (Psalm 94:22).
I have been through losses, more than some people, and less than others. I have experienced times when I was unsure if I could take the next step forward, yet God brought me through, and His strength is perfect in my weakness. When asked how I could keep smiling, I could honestly answer, “The joy of the Lord is my strength” (Nehemiah 8:10).
God can see us through because He knows the end from the beginning and one day He will make all things new. When anxiety weighs us down, it is always good to return to that familiar passage penned by the Apostle Paul, “The peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:7).
There is little in life that we can control, but we know Who is in control. We serve a faithful God who has a good plan for humanity. It can be hard to see our way through the dark storms of life, but God is the One who calms the storm. When Jesus was in the boat with the disciples and a great storm arose, He calmed the sea, saying, “Peace, be still” (Mark 4:39). Instantly the winds and waves became calm. Jesus can do the same for us, especially when we meditate on His Word.
Our Messiah who came as a sacrifice to bear our sins on the cross, who died and rose again, is our hope for today and tomorrow. He said that if we believe He is the way, the truth, and the life, we will live eternally forever with Him. On that day, there will be no circumstance to bring a tear to our eyes, there will be no sadness or sorrow in the new tomorrow.
So, my friends if you are struggling today with anxiety, do not beat yourself up. Anxious feelings are natural in this broken world but remember to “Cast your cares on the Lord, for He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7), and let the joy of the Lord be your strength!
Susan Page is the daughter of the King, His beloved child, wonderfully forgiven and blessed! Susan longs to age gracefully, becoming more like Jesus as she seeks the hidden treasures revealed to her through Scripture, literature, the arts, humankind, and nature.