Anxiety: December 10, 2013

TODAY’S WORD FOR TUESDAY DECEMBER 10, 2013

ANXIETY

DEFINITION:

Concern; fear; worry; mental distress or uneasiness because of fear of danger or misfortune.

SCRIPTURE:

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6.

KNOWLEEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

Many people today fight anxiety in their daily living. People worry about many things, relationships with other people, project deadlines, family issues, job security, finances, health to name a few and the list goes on and on. It is unlikely that anyone doesn’t have some anxiety in their life today. There are just so many pressures to deal with in this world.

I (Ken) despite no real reason constantly fight anxiety. Therefore, I understand somewhat how people struggle with this issue. So the question for today is, “How is one to handle anxiety in their life?”

We want to take you to the life of Gideon in the Old Testament. Gideon was a man who experienced great anxiety. Gideon lived at the time when Israel was invaded and oppressed by the Midianites. They destroyed their crops, their sheep and their cattle. The Midianites had made it almost impossible for the Israelites to grow and gather and prepare food. The difficulty of providing for his family caused great distress and anxiety for Gideon and for all Israel.

Gideon had to thresh grain in a wine press to keep it hidden from his enemies, the Midianites. Gideon truly believed God had abandoned Israel and he felt helpless because he believed his family was one of the weakest and he considered himself one of the least of men. Imagine how it must have surprised Gideon when an angel of God appeared and announced that God called on Gideon to lead the fight against the Midianites. Imagine the stress and anxiety he faced because he truly believed he was one of the weakest of all the Israelite men and inadequate for such an impossible task.

Gideon had a lengthy discussion with the Angel of the Lord, the scriptures say, about why God had abandoned them and allowed them to fall into the hands of the Midianites. Gideon also spent time talking to God trying to resolve his doubts. Gideon questioned how he could be adequate to do what God asked him to do. God’s answer was simply, “I will be with you.” Through prayer, Gideon communicated with God. He received answers to all of his questions and God gave him complete instructions on how to defeat the Midianites.

Gideon obeyed and answered God’s call. He gathered his men together only to have God send most of them home before the battle. This turn of events really stressed Gideon but he proceeded as God commanded. Israel was victorious because it was the Lord that won the battle. In the process of this battle Gideon learned just how powerful and personal his God was. (Judges 6-7)

Gideon discovered that knowing God intimately is one of the keys in dealing with worry and anxiety. By studying this account of Gideon you will soon realize that those that handle anxiety both inward and outwardly know the Lord in a personal way. When you walk with the Lord, as Gideon learned to do, you will calmly proceed through every issue in life while others around you drown in stress.

How do we handle stress and anxiety in our lives? We read the Word, pray and trust God. Trusting in God is a way of life rather than a method. That way of life is centered in Jesus and the spending of time learning to know Him in His fullness.

We all need to learn that man’s method for handling anxiety serve only to distract or numb us from stress. God’s way is to reveal who He is through the teaching of the Holy Spirit in our lives. In the process we replace our fretfulness with His peace. It is time for you to sit down and become intimate with God.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in I John 3:23.

This is His commandment that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.

PRAYER:

Thank You Lord, for Your promise to be with us just as You promised Gideon. It is my prayer today that you will work in my heart to trust more and worry less about the anxieties that I face in life. Help me to develop a new conversation with You so that I give all my stress, worry and anxiety to You.