Let us leave anxiety behind. We have no use of it as God's children. Surely, it will interrupt our lives but let us ponder on Pink's godly advice:
“Be anxious for nothing”— Philippians 4:6
Worrying is as definitely forbidden as theft. This needs to be carefully pondered and definitely realized by us, so that we do not excuse it as an innocent “infirmity.” The more we are convicted of the sinfulness of anxiety, the sooner are we likely to perceive that it is most dishonoring to God, and “strive against” it (Hebrews 12:4). But how are we to “strive against” it? ....
The best antidote for anxiety is frequent meditation upon God's goodness, power and sufficiency. When the saint can confidently realize “The Lord is My Shepherd,” he must draw the conclusion, “I shall not want!” Immediately following our exhortation is, “but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your request be made known unto God.” Nothing is too big and nothing is too little to spread before and cast upon the Lord. The “with thanksgiving” is most important, yet it is the point at which we most fail. It means that before we receive God's answer, we thank Him for the same: it is the confidence of the child expecting his Father to be gracious.
“Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought (anxious concern) for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?” “But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:25, 33) - From The Arthur Pink Anthology.
Russ,
ReplyDeleteUnbeknownst to you, a well-timed post. I feel ludicrously busy these days, and am prone to worry and anxiety about my job, career, and the future. I occasionally remind myself that God is, indeed, in control, but the common concerns of this world frequently work to keep my worry high. A reminder to do that which I neglect most often--prayer, communion and conversation with the Lord.
Though the phrase is oft-overused, I consider the idea of "walking with the Lord", and pray that the reality may be, that whatever the circumstance, Jesus is indeed present with me through it by His Spirit!
God bless,
-Scrape