Tag: #anxiety

Jesus’ Name is Everything

by Angela K. Crow-Mitchell

Anxiety has a way of creeping in. Sometimes, it catches me off guard and pounces like a squirrel that spots a vulnerable nut.

If I wake up a little later than usual or am dealing with a time change that can wreak havoc with my routine, time creeps up on me, and before I know it, I’ve not had my quiet moments with God to set my day off right before heading into a busy workday.

This is when the enemy finds a crack in my armor and slips in to yank my chain with subtle anxious thoughts or feelings. If not put in its place, it can spiral quickly.

My dear husband prays peace over me and reminds me of the pace of grace. I am reminded to breathe! I press pause and take five minutes with God to reset my intentions. I reaffirm my focus and claim the peace Jesus offers (John 14:27, ESV).

Jesus’ name is everything to me because it helps me stop spiraling. He is my peace and Waymaker, calm in the storm, and light in the dark (John 8:12). One whisper of His name settles my spirit and sends the enemy packing. Instead of anxiously striving, I find solace and joy that carries me through whatever the day holds.

Jesus is the living water for our dry, thirsty bones, which need refreshment in any season (John 4:14). I pray for a fresh encounter with the Holy Spirit that revitalizes and strengthens us to persevere until Jesus’ return. As Peter reminds us, God is not slow to fulfill His promise but is patiently giving others a chance at repentance, not wanting anyone to perish (2 Peter 3:9).

Perhaps this should light a fire under us to share the Good News with more people. Paul says that everyone who calls on the name of God will be saved (Rom. 10:13). Still, he continues to ask, how will they call on God if they don’t believe, and how will they believe in God if they have never heard the Good News (Rom. 10:14)?  

With this series of questions, Paul highlights the chain of events necessary for salvation through Christ (Rom. 10:14-15). The ESV Study Bible notes the logic of Paul’s plea: People will call on Jesus to save them only if they believe he can do it; belief in Christ cannot happen without the knowledge of Him; one only hears about Christ when someone proclaims their testimony and saving message; the message cannot be declared unless God sends someone to do so.

Let us give hope and show others that Jesus Christ’s name has the power to save and is the weapon of choice against the enemy and darkness of this world.

“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns;” (Isa. 52:7; Rom. 10:15, emphasis added).

“Pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest” (Matt. 9:38, emphasis added).

God Said…

by Angela K. Crow-Mitchell

“God said, ‘Let there be light”’” (Gen. 1:3, ESV, emphasis added). Notice what it doesn’t say. It doesn’t say, Angela said. It doesn’t say, _______________ fill in the blank with anyone’s name. The emphasis here is on God. He is in control and is all-powerful, speaking light and life into existence.

God gets the glory.

No amount of darkness can penetrate God’s light. When we are in a dark season, it only takes a whisper to redirect our thoughts—saying Jesus’ name—and staying in communion with God helps shine the light of His love into our hearts. It has been said, and I have experienced it — that praise and anxiety cannot coexist. It changes my outlook when I remember to be thankful for all the gifts God has given me and focus on the positives instead of the negatives in any situation.

The great I AM is with us (Exodus 3:14). No amount of worry will change anything. I pray not to waste any more time and energy on worry and instead to give all my energy to trust the One who spoke the light into existence and conquered the dark. Although this takes intentionality and focus, it is worth it.

Isaiah provides an excellent image for us to cling to when we are afraid or anxious. It is a promise that comes straight from God and has helped me many times.

“For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, ‘Fear not, I am the one who helps you’” (Isa. 41:13, emphasis added).

Sometimes, I must grip my hand tight, close my eyes, and remember that God is with me.

In 2 Cor. 4:6, Paul uses the provision of light from Gen. 1:3 to depict conversion as the dawning of the new creation amid this fallen world. To know Christ’s glory is to encounter God’s life-transforming glory (ESV Study Bible).

We are all broken. Life gets messy and challenging; those trials sometimes come with doubt, fear, and anxiety, and the enemy loves to keep us in those places.

But God…

Our pastor reminded us last Sunday that God brings beauty out of brokenness. The Jesus Calling devotional on Tuesday reminded me that God doesn’t look at a person’s outside; He looks at the heart (I Samuel 16:7). Nothing we do or don’t do can separate us from His presence (Rom. 8:38-39).

We must take every thought captive (2 Cor. 10:5) and whisper thank you, Jesus, when they creep up on us. God does not separate Himself from us—ever. We tend to drift away from Him and then wonder why we feel distant.

Let’s show ourselves and others grace—we are all a work in progress in a broken world, and the devil is a liar. Write that on your mirror.

“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8, emphasis added).

What Rules Your Day?

by Angela K. Crow-Mitchell

In keeping with the theme of finding and claiming rest and peace from last week’s blog, Jesus Says, I would like to point us in the direction of what sustains us through the daily challenges that sometimes keep us from experiencing the peace and rest God offers – faith and trust.

One morning this week, I woke up thinking about my word for the year—joy. At times, my joy has been overcome by anxiety that I didn’t know I had, out of which comes excellent growth and a deeper dependency on God. I realized my previous words presented challenges that were in line with the word choice I always feel God gives me.

For example, one year, my word was trust. You can only imagine what I was presented with that year, which ultimately led to a deeper reliance on God. Hence, in my opinion, God gave me the word because He knew what I would face that year that warranted a deeper level of faith that I didn’t recognize I required, which, in turn, led to spiritual growth.

Isn’t that one of the goals as a Christ-follower—to continue to grow into a richer level of spiritual maturity? All growth comes with challenges, but knowing God more intimately and allowing our faith to soar as we surpass our perceived limits is worth it. I can escape the so-called nest and learn to fly only with God’s help and the Holy Spirit’s nudging. Without it, I would stay in my comfort zone, content with the cozy bubble I built for myself. As soon as I become contented, God shakes things up. There have been many good changes this year, but still challenging.

Likewise, Paul writes that suffering produces endurance, which produces character, that leads to hope through God’s love that He poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit (Rom. 5:3-5). We know he spoke from experience. Although not all growth comes from suffering, per se, I can attest to how my past pain and distress led to perseverance.  A closer relationship with Christ is paramount to my healing. In turn, I experienced multifaceted spurts that sometimes felt like I was on the fast track toward spiritual growth, catching up for lost time.

I felt like a sleepwalker through most of my life, so when God rescued me, I imagined Him as the Good Father who couldn’t wait to share more with His daughter now that I was paying attention. I was once like the rebellious teenager who knew more than her parents and suddenly realized that she didn’t know anything.

There are also adventures and life experiences we may never experience, and we may miss the beauty of the journey without realizing it until it’s too late. Being a Christ-follower is a risky business. Jesus’ life shows us that firsthand. Still, God is in control, and He promises to always be with us (Matt 28:20, ESV). Saying yes to God is life-changing—in an amazing way!

My challenge lately has been not allowing the stressful, anxiety-filled moments to rule the day.

In the Bible plan, Stop, Drop, and Worship, by Roxanne Parks, she says that when we allow our emotions to take over, we participate with the enemy. It takes an intentional effort to tether our peace to God’s faithfulness and character instead of the circumstances that cause anxiety. Our focus on God instead of the issue is critical to not participating with the enemy who only wants to steal our joy (John 10:10). In the next verse, Jesus reminds us that He is the Good Shepherd, which also relates to last week’s message (John 10:11).

Parks says that when we can step out of our emotional self into the greater purposes and truths, whether in the moment, day, or season of life, we participate with God rather than the enemy. She explains, and I agree, that we need to have the energy to waste precious time on thoughts and feelings that do not add value to our day. We can choose ahead of time, when we first wake up each morning, to forgive anyone who offends us and ask God to help us release feelings that disempower us and instead choose options that empower by choosing to walk in life-giving truths (Parks, Stop, Drop, and Worship).

Paul offers excellent advice to the Philippians that we can benefit from as well: to think about things that are honorable, just, pure, commendable, lovely, and the One that is worthy of praise (Phil. 4:8). This is the life-giving thoughts that empower (Stop, Drop, and Worship). I know first-hand that it is not always easy to do – but the more I set my intentions each morning to release the bad and receive the good, the more my growth in this season becomes apparent. I can’t do it alone, and my dependence on God is paramount to my success – which is the point.

If we remember to focus on God, Jesus says everything else will be added to us, and there is no reason to worry (Matt. 6:33).

“Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matt. 6:34, ESV, Emphasis added).