From Anxiety to Peace

In my recent newsletter, I told the story of our older cat, Paka, and how she’d stopped eating. She had gone for several days without food. She would use her scratching post and groom herself, but she had no interest in her paté or kibble.

After a thorough examination and Xray, our vet, Doctor Amy, and I came to the same conclusion. Our new kitty, Tatertot, had caused Paka a lot of anxiety.

Paka has always been a little skittish. She was a rescue cat that lived with a man who didn’t like her. He wasn’t too fond of his former girlfriend either, who had left the cat with him when she moved out. I assume Paka stayed hidden from him because she hides whenever someone comes to our house. When it’s my husband, our youngest daughter, and me, she’s the perfect cat. But she doesn’t like change. And our new kitten brought a lot of that!

Although our vet took great care of her and got her back to her old self, Paka was not out of danger. Doctor Amy told me that the treatment she used with Paka would last for thirty days. She hoped Paka would bond with Tatertot by then, solving the problem. Today is day thirty-five. So far, so good. I am certain the two of them have formed a stronger connection.

On multiple occasions, I’ve discovered them sharing a bed, either theirs or ours, with their bodies close together. And twice, I’ve observed them as they groomed each other. So sweet! Brings a smile and praise to my lips.

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During our times of stress and anxiety, our circumstances may become so overwhelming that we forget to pray or lack the energy to do so. Often, these situations take a severe toll on our bodies, hearts, and minds. But the Lord encourages us to turn to Him. He opens His arms and waits for us to run into them. To hold us. To comfort us. To pour out His unfailing love and peace upon us.

Two of my favorite verses are Philippians 4:6-7.

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. 

My hope for Paka is that she has found peace to deal with Tatertot and will continue to thrive. My hope for us is that we find peace in Christ whenever anxiety strikes. He desires us to come to Him in prayer, tell Him what we need, and thank Him for all He has done. He’s done much in my life. What about in yours? Please share below a recent blessing He’s poured out upon you.

Search Me

One morning this past week, during my quiet time with the Lord, I read John 2:24-25 from the New Living Translation (NLT). When I study the Word, I usually use the New King James Version. But I enjoy the NLT for reading because I sense the Lord speaking to me personally.

But Jesus didn’t trust them, because he knew all about people.
No one needed to tell him about human nature,
for he knew what was in each person’s heart.
John 2:24-25, NLT

“Jesus didn’t trust them,” and “he knew what was in each person’s heart,” moved me to tears. I turned to Psalm 139:23-24 and made these two verses my prayer.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you,
and lead me along the path of everlasting life.
Psalm 139:23-24, NLT

While I focused on these verses, I thought of common problem areas many of us battle such as anxiety, doubt, insecurity, pride, and selfishness. If you’re like me, you may struggle in one or more of these at times. Let’s look at what God’s Word says about each of these sins. I hope you’ll take time to review these verses for yourself. I’ll summarize them here.

Anxiety—Proverbs 3:5-6 is a familiar part of Scripture. We are to trust in the Lord and not depend on our understanding. When we seek His will, He will guide us to the right path.

Doubt—The verse mentioned above applies to doubt too. But we can also look to Romans 10:17. Our faith grows from hearing the Good News about Christ. The more we get into the Word of God, meditate on it, and follow it, the less doubt we’ll battle.

Insecurity—A great verse here is Galatians 2:20. Jesus died for us and now He lives in us. When we trust in Him, we understand who we are in Christ and how much He loves us. If He is always with us, why do we feel unqualified or uncertain?

Pride—Here’s a verse that can put us in our place. Galatians 6:3 tells us not to think too highly of ourselves. We aren’t all that important.

Selfishness—Philippians 2:3-4 makes this clear by telling us not to be selfish, but to think of others as better than ourselves. Do we follow Jesus’s example by taking an interest in people around us and what they need and want?

Are any of these problem areas for you? My hope is that you will pray, ask the Lord to search your heart, and ask Him to show you anything that offends Him, so you can follow His lead.

O God, You know what’s in my heart. You know everything about me. Search me, Lord, and show me, convict me Holy Spirit, of all that’s within me that offends You. When I try to walk alone or go my own wayward way, help me instead to follow Your leading and go forward in faith in You. In Jesus’s name. Amen.

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Dog Tired

At first glance it appeared to be an enjoyable morning walk, but as I continued to observe, I witnessed something totally different. A dog trudged alongside its owner for several steps and then plopped onto the sidewalk. The owner nudged and pulled him to no avail until the dog was ready to walk again. This happened three times as I watched from my kitchen window. Possibly you can relate to the dog. I can.

There are times we get tired and need to rest. We scurry here and there to get everything done. Busy with our jobs, school and church activities, and balancing home life. At some point, we need to plop on the couch or bed for relaxation or sleep.

Possibly the dog had been chasing a cat around the backyard earlier and was exhausted. He needed time to be still and rest.

When I become exhausted, anxiety often raises its ugly head. In these weary times, I listen for God’s whisper reminding me to be still and know He is God. Posted at my desk is, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6 NIV). This verse reminds me to take time to pray and be thankful.

Distractions often interrupt us. We start out focused on our purpose and then life happens. We find ourselves getting off track and going the opposite direction. Possibly the new way is the path of least resistance. Appears better or easier, but is that the best way?

Perhaps the dog was distracted by a bug as it crossed the sidewalk. Maybe, he wanted to spend time focusing on this curious creature.

Distractions cause me to get off course. I allow life to get in the way of growing closer to the Lord. I find myself focusing on the wrong things like pleasing people by trying to be perfect. My Bible reading dwindles, my prayer life fades, and I slip away into self-sufficiency. To refocus, I must turn back to the Word of God and spend more time in prayer.

From my viewpoint, it appeared the dog was exercising his selfishness. He didn’t desire to walk, and he wanted to make sure his owner understood. His goal was control.

In the end he honored his master and followed her home. He was too heavy for her to carry.

When we are tired, distracted, or self-seeking, God still loves us. He longs for us to turn from the things that keep us distant and instead draw near. The good news is, unlike the dog’s owner, God will carry us when we surrender to Him.

Peace Came in the Morning

Not too long ago, I received disappointing news. Something I’d hoped for didn’t happen. The next morning, I awoke filled with anxiety. After I spent time in prayer and read my Bible, I prepared my breakfast. I thought one of my favorite songs might get me more excited about getting ready to go to work. When I called upon my Amazon Echo, I struggled to get the words out fast enough—forgot the name of the song.

My Echo thinks she knows me well. She said something like, “Since you listen to worship music, I’ll play the Amazon worship channel and Chris Tomlin.”

Sounded good to me. I like Chris. The song, “Good, Good Father” played. After Chris, another song played about trusting God. The two songs together spoke to my heart and spirit and brought peace to my morning and a wonderful reminder of God’s faithfulness.

My hope is found in the Lord. He meets my needs. I acknowledged how good my God truly is and renewed my choice to trust Him in my situation and with the decisions I needed to make.

When I put my faith and trust in the one who loves and watches over me, my anxiety diminishes, and peace moves in. Peace makes a better companion.

Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Never rely on what you think you know. Remember the Lord in everything you do, and he will show you the right way” (GNB).