Freedom From Anxiety

"How free you can become if you stop worrying about things that don't concern you! The first thing for a contemplative is to mind his own business, and all care of yourself, physically, materially, is no longer your business. It is in the hands of somebody else-God."

                   ~ Thomas Merton, Entering the Silence, p. 68

I had a really heavy heart this morning. I'm experiencing one of those times where there seems to be more obstacles than solutions. In such a state I lost sight of Jesus and stumbled, not showing the patience and compassion I should to those around me.

As I was praying, four words kept rising in my heart, "Come to the Cross."

We can always come to Jesus and lay down our burdens and troubles at the foot of the cross.  The cross is a symbol of God's love and mercy towards us. It's where His grace was poured out on mankind in the form of Jesus' blood. Our God  was willing to sacrifice His only son for our sins, that's how precious we are to Him. So really, with a God of steadfast love and faithfulness, does anxiety have a place in the heart of a believer?

I love Thomas Merton's quote that is at the beginning of this post.  He brings up the point that there's freedom when we don't let anxiety have a foothold in our lives. God wants to liberate us from our attachments, liberate us from our illusions, liberate us from our own egos so that the only thing made manifest in our lives is God's glory. When we shine with the revelation of God's glory all other things fade away and we bring light and love to other people's lives, and our own, helping to reveal and make manifest God's Kingdom here on earth.

To trust God completely over our circumstances reveals a humble heart of faith. It's not an easy thing to do, a state of the heart that is spurred on by the Spirit. Certainly one I was having trouble with this morning...but a question that popped into my head was this: Is it more fruitful to trust God, maker of all existence, with our burdens or ourselves (who most likely had a big role in bringing our own burdens about)? I don't know about you...but I'm laying my burdens at the foot of God's throne and trusting Him!

As I prayed to God about all of this and then meditated God blessed me again with His peace. Through obedience God's blessings are poured out. May we never cease to praise the God who heals, the God who saves and the God who lifts our burdens from us and brings our perspectives back to where they should be-focused on Jesus!

This morning I was looking up some scripture regarding anxiety, I'd like to share some verses, may you be blessed by them:


Luke 12:6-7
⁶ Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. ⁷ Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Luke 12: 27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

Matthew 5:31-34 "Do not be anxious then, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'With what shall we clothe ourselves?' "For all these things the Gentiles eagerly seek; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you. "Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.


 Matthew 6:27  "And which of you by being anxious can add a single cubit to his life's span?
Let's find our rest in God and be restored, so we can be more effective servants:


Matthew 11:28-30 "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. "Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. "For My yoke is easy, and My load is light."

Heavenly Father,

We praise and love you. Thank you for your grace and mercy. Forgive us when we lose sight of you and instead dwell on our earthly circumstances. We pray that you give us the strength and insight, the direction, to overcome the obstacles that we have in life and may we always put you Sovereign over it all.  We pray that you ease the suffering that we sometimes face- very real oppression and afflictions, may your love and glory be seen in our lives as you bring your light and mercy to us. We ask that you restore us and renew us so that we may bring Your message of hope and love even more effectively to others.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.