Finals are coming up, and it's crunch time! I have so much on my plate, including this blog, if I'm going to be honest. I have to review almost everything from over this whole semester and also still have papers to edit and revise for final drafts. I also have some stuff going on at home that God is working out and still want to maintain a great relationship with God, my family, my boyfriend, and my friends. Not to mention, I NEED sleep and also breaks to eat and shower, etc. With so much to do, I sometimes only look at the whole entire picture instead of looking at only one thing at a time. When this happens, I break down because all I can see are the fifty million things I have to do and a clock that's ticking. The crazy thing is that some of the people around me have an even busier schedule than me by a long shot, and somehow, they still manage to keep going and make stuff happen. I won't lie to you that sometimes this kind of stress makes me personally feel like I'm going to keel over in an anxiety or panic attack. So what am I supposed to do when everything is getting to me and making me feel anxious or worried?
Okay, Becca...but what does this mean? Well, let me first say that Paul was writing to the Philippians when these two verses were inspired -- while he was in PRISON. If that doesn't give anyone at least one cause to feel anxious, I don't know what does. Paul remained positive while in prison. He didn't let it freak him out or make him lose his marbles. He kept his cool and basically told the Philippians to do the same. These verses express to us that there is no reason to fret or be all worked up about things, letting them eat us alive. The word "supplication" means to beg for or ask for something earnestly but in a humble manner. That being said, as children of the Most High, we are actually supposed to daily, even sometimes hourly if need be, go to the Lord and say, "Hey, God. This is what's going on, and I know I shouldn't be anxious about it, so I'm just outwardly confessing to You that I'm working on keeping my cool about it. The thing is, I need Your help, so I'm just thanking You for being God and for taking care of everything so that I don't have to feel anxious about it." Tell God what you need or what your heart desires, and do it with humbleness and repetition, showing faithfulness to prayer and the Lord. When you do these things, the Word continues on in verse 7 to say that the peace we need over the situations will wash over us and be so overwhelming that we can't even understand it enough to explain. This peace will protect us and everything in our hearts and minds that we have placed at the hands and feet of Jesus.
If you ever find yourself becoming anxious, you can quote the verse in your heart or out loud, but here is another thing that someone very wise recently told me. If I'm ever having a time of trouble and feel myself getting anxious or worried, I should close my eyes, get still and quiet for just a moment and then say out loud, "Lord, I trust You. Lord, I trust You. Lord, I trust you." And when I finally feel at peace, I thank the Lord and continue about my day.
Whether it be a job interview, a new job, which car to buy, which school to attend or enroll your children in, which church to become a member of, which house to settle in, or any other thing, no matter how big or small it may be, remember that God knows what is important to you. He is waiting for you to reach out and let Him become the center of whatever situation so that He might give you peace for your anxiety and troubles and worry.
(All photos are NOT mine and may be subject to copyright).
No comments:
Post a Comment