Our times are one of great distress. We find ourselves beset
with unrest, anxiety, depression, sleep deprivation, and fears. Our sufferings,
no matter where we live in this world seem to multiply, and become mighty
mountains. With this in mind I have chosen to share some comforting passages
from the Scriptures to help those who right now find themselves wither in the
Asia, Africa, Europe, The U.S.A., the Middle East, Africa, and beyond in deep
distress.
The Apostle Peter teaches us to caste our cares on Christ,
"by casting all your cares on him because he
cares for you. Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for
you. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you."
(1 Peter 5:7 NB, NLT, BB, and other translations). Our cares, our worries, and
anxieties are meant to be caste on Christ who is God (Colossians 2:9, Titus
2:13). In today's age, people tend to consult doctors of medicine to fix their
struggle with anxiety and worry, and while I am not advocating going off
anxiety medicine, I would argue that you should consider casting those
anxieties on the Alpha and Omega Himself. So much glory is going to pills,
which in time will not work, instead of the Prince of Peace. The Apostle Paul
reinforces this idea of abandoning anxiety before God, "Be anxious for nothing, but in
everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be
made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all
understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
(Philippians 3:6-7). Here good ol Paul makes the process of abandoning anxiety
known ins steps, first a statement of faith, be anxious for nothing, how? Take
those anxieties and worries in prayer and supplication to God with your
thanksgiving (a way to change your thinking from just the worries), and then
the peace of God will come and fill you and guard your hearts and minds from
the anxiety. Then the Apostle adds another step to being anxiety free, "Finally, brethren, whatever things
are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things
are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if
there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these
things." (Philippians 4:8). Here the Apostle does something very
novel, he is giving you what to mediate on now instead of the cares and worries
of this life. The thinking and energies that was devoted to worry, is now being
focused on what is "worthy, and of good report."
Our Lord and God Jesus Christ Himself had words for our
anxieties as well, "Therefore I tell you, do not
worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you
will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?"
(Matthew 6:25). Here the Lord commands us not to worry about our lives, or even
necessities of sustenance, or what we shall cloth ourselves in. He continues by
affirming that God takes care of His other creations, "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or
store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much
more valuable than they?" (Matthew 6:26). Our Lord is making
a case, that He watches over and takes care of the animals, how much more so us
who are made in His image (Genesis 1:27) and who are His children (Galatians 3:26). Christ
continues this case, "Who of you by worrying can
add a single hour to his lifespan?" (Matthew 6:27). Here Peter and
Paul's words are shaped, worrying and being anxious does not add anything to
our lives, rather it steals from us, when we can caste those cares on Christ
himself (1 Peter 4:7). Finally, Christ tells us not even to be anxious, worry,
or have cares about tomorrow, "Therefore do not
worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough
trouble of its own." (Matthew 6:34). Here the Lord who is same
yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8) tells us to be present tense
people, not people who worry endlessly about tomorrow. Granted, this is not
case against making plans or taking responsibility like farmers who must sow
today and worry about watering tomorrow, but the tense Jesus is using here if
we have "ears to hear" is not to let the worries of tomorrow invade
today, nor let them eclipse what we must manage today.
When distress, depression, and dark thoughts assail us, one
of best places to spend some time is in the Psalms of David. I have chosen a
particularly powerful Psalm that addresses perhaps how many fell in this day
and age:
“A psalm of David.
1 Hear my prayer, O Lord;
listen to my plea!
Answer me because you are faithful
and righteous.
2 Don’t put your servant on trial,
for no one is innocent before you.
3 My enemy has chased me.
He has knocked me to the ground
and forces me to live in darkness
like those in the grave. [How many of us feel this way?]
4 I am losing all hope; [I think most of humanity is
losing hope with all that is happening in world]
I am paralyzed with fear. [Indeed,
terrorism has made fear paralyze many]
5 I remember the days of old. [This is fueling
nostalgia of our age, the desire for old Star Wars and etc]
I ponder all your great works
and think about what you have done.
[We must mediate on what Christ has done for us to endure]
6 I lift my hands to you in prayer.
I thirst for you as parched land
thirsts for rain. Interlude
7 Come quickly, Lord, and answer me, [This takes new significance,
Revelation 22:20]
for my depression deepens.
[Depression is rampant now, pills and diagnosis are daily]
Don’t turn away from me,
or I will die.
8 Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning,
for I am trusting you. [Faith in
Greek actually is Trust God]
Show me where to walk, [Indeed, for Jesus the Lord knows the
right path Matthew 7:13-14]
for I give myself to you.
9 Rescue me from my enemies, Lord;
I run to you to hide me.
10 Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God.
May your gracious Spirit lead me forward
on a firm footing.
11 For the glory of your name, O Lord, preserve my
life.
Because of your faithfulness, bring
me out of this distress.
12 In your unfailing love, silence all my enemies
and destroy all my foes,
for I am your servant." (Psalm
153)
It is clear we can caste our cares, anxieties, and concerns
on Christ Jesus. The Scriptures are full of examples of how we can take control
of this surging anxiety, depression, and insomnia. We need only have the
courage to take our cares to Christ and caste (throw) them upon Him. I hope and
pray that you will learn to place all anxiety on the Lord Jesus, and let Him
carry that cross for you. I am not saying go off meds, that is dangerous, and
you need to first consult your physician if you feel the Lord is telling you to
come off, so that you can ween off of them.
Comments
Post a Comment