Have You Ever Been Nervous???

Have you ever been nervous?

I mean really, really nervous. The type of nervous that you can feel in the pit of your stomach. The type of nervous that causes you to hear your own heartbeat? 

Probably the classic scripture that addresses this challenge is found in Philippians, 4.6: "Don't worry about anything, instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all that he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. God's peace will guard your heart and your mind as you live in Christ Jesus." (NLT)

I like the NKJ version as well. It reads; "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your heart and mind through Christ Jesus."

Both versions are powerful. 

A verse before these life-affirming words, Paul wrote about rejoicing in the Lord and letting our gentleness be known, because God was at hand.

Then he launched into directly addressing this issue of how to handle anxiety.

The first piece of advice is to not worry. We're being encouraged to nip anxiety in the bud by recognizing what to do when we begin to worry. 

We're supposed to get in the habit of praying, about everything. And thanking God for all the things God's done for us. Then when worry knocks on the door, praying and being thankful are second nature to us.

This covering of prayer and giving thanks is like armor for our soul. It enriches us, it strengthens us, it helps keep our focus off our challenges and on the Eternal One who has the resources to help us meet them.

It's a message of hope. It's a message of looking beyond the here-and-now and beginning to dwell in eternity. 

To our natural, logical mind, this may seem absolutely ludicrous. Pain is real, so are the myriad challenges of everyday life.

Who would deliberately choose to pray and start being thankful when anxiety is nipping at your heels? On one level, it doesn't make sense. But on another, it does. 

When we step out in faith, God meets us. When we are in communication with God and feeding our soul (by praying about the little things in life) and thanking God, then our soul is strengthened to face life's larger challenges.

It doesn't mean we won't go through difficult times. But it does mean that we will have the assurance that we aren't alone. We are going through those challenging times with the Creator of the Universe who promises to hold us close. 

We have a covenant relationship with God. That means we can go to God with any situation or need, knowing that all God has is available to us. That's what a covenant is; we exchange what we have for what the Eternal One has. We come to God when feeling weak and receive God's strength in return.

Paul was writing from personal experience when he penned his letter to the Philippians.
He had learned, first hand, that he could come to his Creator in times of worry and distress. 

Here's some Good News!!! We have free access to the same Creator!

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