Photo by heatherlast.com
Living with the daily thought that a fault line will give in like the San Andreas comes and goes throughout our lives. Our hopes and dreams, our future, especially now during these unprecedented times is particularly challenging. Fear of change, the dark, heights, lows, small spaces and large spaces, spiders or what ever your concern creeps up on each of us from time to time. Or larger, more life changing threats can consume us. I have been going through such a threat. It has consumed me at times.
I have fallen in under the weight of deep fear and awoke shaking to my core from ever present danger in my life over the past year. It has left me confused, perplexed, exhausted and defeated many times over. My prayers often feel like God has forgotten all about me. Yet I know God is for me. God is with me. God is working. I have to remind myself of these truths until they become part of my thinking and feeling.
We worry about our past, our present and our future. The extent of worry is broad. But the essence of worry in a Biblical definition is: TO DIVIDE. Peter talks about the inroads of anxiety. It distracts us, divides our minds, creates instability and uncertainty which fuels our fears. Our fears are what bring us to a lonely place. A place where we suddenly realize we really have very little control over large portions of our lives.
How should we deal with it?
I Peter 5:7 says: "Cast all your anxiety on Him because he cares for you."
He does not say deny it and pretend it is not there. Peter encourages us to give it to God. Hand over or place upon or throw upon the only one who can help. A good way of thinking of it is just like the way the garbage man takes our trash and throws it in the back of the truck. Toss it to God. But know where the help really comes from. It is humbling. Verse 6 says: "Humble yourselves." It casts all our anxiety to him. Live under God's mighty hand. It is a hard thing to do, really feel. There has to be the assumption that God really knows what he is doing. Such a simple truth that is so dynamic and so powerful, few have felt the miracle of this kind of total peace. It is a miracle.
We can spend the entire journey anxiety ridden. Or, turn our thinking and realizing, it is beyond me and there needs to be a greater, stronger, smarter and more loving power that can deal with this. Sit back, relax and enjoy the flight. Being humble is letting go of the control and know that God cares for you. Know God has full knowledge that this is happening. Let God say to you, "I know where you live and I know about your fears."
Do not be concerned with ourselves rather be concerned with Him. It is a pride. We need to be more concerned with progress in our lives and changing for Him and loving Him.
Mary and Martha come to mind. Martha was distracted by the worries of the day. Mary sat and hung out with Jesus, in calm and in love with Jesus. My aim is to choose what is better. It is better to love and rest in Him. Not to passivity. But my posture should be the heart of Jesus in the activity of service. My preoccupations may rob me of the bigger picture, the greater lesson and create a bitterness in my heart that is frantic.
These are some ramblings. The presence of anxiety is directly related to the absence of humility. It is not everything, but it is something. God is not a magic lamp. And I am not in control of my life. I have become full of fear, stressed, burdened, fractured and paralyzed. I don't want to be restless. I can't make sense of my life without God. I just cannot.
So, I will cast all my cares on Him. Do this with me today. Today, I will rest on the back of the one who carries me. I will lay in total relaxation, even for a moment. I will enjoy the feeling of his muscle and strength as He holds me on this journey.
Thank you Heather Last for the use of this beautiful image of peace, rest and trust. It is beautiful and speaks to my soul.
Read: 121 Psalm
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