Defeating Anxiety and Control

Defeating Anxiety and Control Realize you are not in control anyway - that is an illusion.   Think back over the events in your life: list the other times that you have tried to control your circumstances.  Did it work?  What was the outcome?   Admit that you are powerless to make your life work out the way you want it to.  (You might as well, because it’s true whether you admit it or not.) Psalm 127:1: “Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain.  Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.” Proverbs 21:30: “There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord.” Proverbs 19:21: “Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails.” Proverbs 16:9: “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.”   God wants to be first in your life.  This is the key to defeating control and anxiety: we are anxious when we want something more than we want to follow God.  Letting go of the thing we desire is terrifying (in fact, it feels a lot like dying to ourselves), but it is the only path to peace.  The paradox is, God promises that if we lose our life, that is when we will find it.  As long as we insist on controlling our lives, it will remain forever out of control.   Matthew 6:33-34: “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Proverbs 21:21: “Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor.” Matthew 10:39: “Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.” Matthew 16:25: “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.” Psalm 37:4: “Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Matthew 5:3: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:5: “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”   When we let go of “trying to find our lives” (whatever the problem is that obsesses us), we will experience grief - but it is a good, healing grief.  It is a grief that leads to joy in the end, because it is the only path to life. Psalm 126:5: “Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.” Matthew 5:4: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” Psalm 30:5: "Weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning."   What to do instead: God invites you to bring your troubles to Him.   Matthew 11:28: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” 1 Peter 5:7: “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” Philippians 4:4-7: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, 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.” Psalm 55:22: “Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall.”   God is a good God; therefore you can trust Him.  He is for you and not against you; He wants good things for you.  (And He is in a better position to know what is good for you than you are.  If you doubt this, stop and think about some of the things you wanted desperately in the past and didn’t get.) Isaiah 46:3-4: “You whom I have upheld since you were conceived, and have carried since your birth.  Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you.  I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” Jeremiah 33:41: “I will rejoice in doing them good and will assuredly plant them in this land with all my heart and soul.” Nahum 1:7: “The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.” Isaiah 58:11: “And the Lord will...

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