From The Pastor’s Pen – By Brian Horrobin
Anxiety. Worry. Call it what you like, but it is one of those frequent irritants that seek to plague the enjoyment of our lives.
If we are not careful, we can end up spending a whole lot of time with our knickers in a knot instead of walking in peace, as the Lord would have us to do.
I have some good news for you, however. The psalmist found a “silver bullet” and it is contained in Psalm 94:19:
“In the multitude of my anxieties within me,
Your comforts delight my soul.”
This is one of those “aha” verses and it carries much hope for us as we wage the battle against anxiety. So, it begs the question, “What are some of God’s ‘comforts’ which will bring delight to my soul? Here are a few nuggets from God’s Word (think of these verses as a cup of hot chocolate, sipped by the fire on a cold winter’s day):
“In Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right
hand are pleasures forevermore.” (Psalm 16:11)
“I have treasured the words of His mouth more
than my necessary food.” (Job 23:12)
“I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that
I would see the goodness of the LORD in the
land of the living.” (Psalm 27:13)
This is just a small sampling of the many great promises from God’s Word that we can meditate upon and find relief from the tyranny of anxiety.
It will take a deliberate, focused approach to combatting anxiety with God’s Word that will produce the desired result of Christ’s peace in the midst of our trial.
Calling a friend to share your misery will only amplify the state of your unsettled heart and may even taint others with the same malady.
As Christ-followers, we are called to put on the full armour of God and face the foe of anxiety in battle.
I would encourage you to meditate on the above verses and let the Lord fill your heart with the power of their message.
So, even in the midst of a multitude of anxieties within you, God’s comforts will delight your soul.
