“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:6,7

What is your morning routine?

Coffee? Toast? Gym? Watching the news? It’s probably some combination of those things if you’re like most people.

But aside from what you do, what is the spirit in which you do it? Do you wake up feeling like the day is full of opportunities, or do you wake up, which has been the case with me many times in my life, wondering if something catastrophic or life-changing has happened during the night? During times like that, it feels like I’m just waiting for something bad to happen. I’m not sure what. But something.

If you resonate with that, then you know what it feels like to have a general sense of anxiety. It’s an undercurrent that is constantly running in the background. You’re always waiting for the other shoe to drop in some area of your life. Does this make sense to you?

Well, this is not a good way to live, especially for a Christian. But if you are living there, it seems to me that you can either be a victim of that anxiety or you can do something about it.  Now, you can choose to speak platitudes to your soul like “Be positive!” or “The best is yet to come!” But do you really believe in that nonsense? I don’t.

Here are four examples of what to speak to your soul when you are feeling anxious:

1. My Father already knows what I need.
This is gloriously true. Jesus told us this in a broader message about prayer, specifically how His followers’ prayers should differ from those of those who do not know God. Those people babble on, trusting in their quantity of prayers, but it should not be like that with us. Why? Because we have a Heavenly Father who already knows what we need before we ask it.

An anxious heart – my heart – your heart – can come to God knowing that all the cards are already on the table. I cannot say one single thing to Him that He doesn’t already know and hasn’t already made provision for, whether in my personal life or in the world at large. But He’s waiting for me to ask Him.

2. I am worth more than many sparrows.
Jesus expressed terrifying realities in Matthew 10. Talk about words to be anxious about; you can certainly find them from Him in this passage. Jesus spoke of days that were coming when brother would turn against brother, and children would put their own parents to death. In fact, those who follow Jesus would be, according to Jesus Himself, hated because of His name, because this is how they treated Him.

Then comes the surprising command: “Do not be afraid of them.” And why not? Why not be afraid of times like these? Because we can be confident that God sees and knows exactly what is going on. In fact, Jesus said that the Father’s reach is so great that not even a sparrow falls to the ground with His consent. A simple, anxiety-destroying truth:

“You are worth more than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:31).

3. My Father will always provide what is best for me.
Jesus also taught about the importance of perseverance and consistency in prayer. Keep seeking, keep knocking, keep trusting. God will provide what you need. Jesus’ reasoning is simple—He encourages His followers to think about their earthly fathers. What dad, Jesus reasoned, would give his son a snake if his son was asking for a fish? Such a thing would be unimaginably cruel. No father would do it—even the bad ones. (Luke 11:11-13).

What if, in the throes of anxiety, the son ASKS for a snake? Would his father give him a snake? No, surely not. But Praise the Lord that we have a Father who will always provide what is good and right for His children.

4. The Good Shepherd has a mighty strong grip.
In John 10:11-14, Jesus helps us see He is the Good Shepherd. Like any shepherd, He protects and provides for His sheep. But what makes Him the Good Shepherd is that He lays down His life for His sheep. But then Jesus goes further – He says that His sheep know Him. They hear His voice, and they follow Him. And once those sheep follow Him, no one can snatch them out of His hand. Of course, we are the sheep in this illustration. Although affliction, distress, fear, persecution, famine, and danger will all try to snatch us away, the Good Shepherd has a mighty strong grip. Once we belong to Him, He will not let go.

These are some of the things you can say to your soul when you are afflicted with anxiety. And with each word, you are placing your hope in the love, care, and power of Jesus Christ. He will never, ever let you down.

Written by Michael Kelley, Guest Contributor

DIG DEEPER
Read “Unshakable in the Face of Anxiety” by Jonathan Munson