Dear fear and anxiety, I will not let you hold us back and keep us from experiencing all God and life has for us!!!

Fear, anxiety and circumstances can affect how we view life, and our relationships with others and with God. They can potentially get in the way of what’s best for us as our main focus can change and we feed our fear and anxiety as opposed to what we should be feeding, for instance, into our relationships.  But, as we all know; worrying is easy and can be hard to fight. When we’ve got the news on the TV and radio and all over social media, negativity, sadness and worry is hard to avoid! But this fear and worry can cause so much harm and prevents how God wants to use you. Especially when we develop a desire for something that is unable to fulfill us. For instance, alcohol, sex, drugs and food. As you are probably more than aware, these may offer a short term fix (so to speak) but in the long run, these are bad for our health and well-being and can also result in further problems.

But the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.
Mark 4:19

So we need to do the opposite and do things that will help us in the long term, emotionally, physically and spiritually. When we do this we can then be used by God and our lives will flourish and be blessed. I’m not saying everything in the world and in our lives will be perfect, it won’t. But what it will do is help us in how we respond to what life has in store for us and so we become more resilient and we learn to experience his peace and joy amidst our own and the worlds situations.

As Jesus tells us in Luke chapter 12;

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life ? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Do you want to be less fearful and experience less anxiety and worry? I certainly do! But the only way that will really alleviate these, as opposed to those ‘quick fixes’ mentioned earlier, is to read over and over and over, in meditation. Immerse your self, print out, have scripture posted somewhere in your home where you can see it. So we can remind ourselves of them when you feel fear and anxiety creeping in.

We can use this time in isolation to work on our relationships with others and come closer to our God. He loves us and wants us to spend time treasuring Him and meditation, prayer and reading His word is perfect for this.

Here are some other scriptures on fear, anxiety and worry to meditate on;

• So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
  Isaiah 41:10
• Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken. Psalms 55:22
• Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6
• In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared; he is more awesome than all who surround him. Psalms 89:7
• For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7

So, lets remember:

1. God already has our needs in mind.
2. Set our focus on Him.
3. Store up our treasures in Heaven.

And most importantly; cast your cares to God and God will take care of everything else.

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