pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: anxiety


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One True God

Reading: Exodus 32: 1-6

Verse One: When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming…

Over and over and over again, God has provided for and protected the Israelites.  Whether it was opposing armies or food or water or which way to go, God has been there.  Moses has been their leader through it all.  He has led by example and has always been faithful to the Lord God.

As we grow and mature in our faith, we come to trust in God and His presence and protection.  Our experiences when God had been there over and over builds our trust in Him and we come to believe that God will be there again and again.  But this can be such a fragile balance.  Something happens and doubt or fear or anxiety creeps in.  We turn to something other than God to curb our doubt…  we ignore what is going on… we cope in some unhealthy way.

We can relate to the Israelites’ choice in our passage today.  Moses has been gone a long time.  A LONG time.  They fear going into the presence of God.  They look up and see the “thick darkness” that Moses disappeared into.  We too can feel that our lives have slipped into such a place.  We can feel as if God were absent during these times.  But God is always present.  Like the Israelites, it is we who turn away.

In Moses’ absence, the people turn to Aaron.  He is #2 in command.  Aaron is a little less steady, a little less assured, a little less connected to God.  He wants to be a pleaser.  He fashions a golden calf to soothe the people’s fears and doubts.  The people willingly worship this idol – they are glad to be rid of their feelings of discomfort.  Our inner self can relate well.  Like Aaron, our inner self is willing to take over, to just do something to solve or at least alleviate our situation.  Like the people, our inner self is willing to do whatever to not feel those bad feelings.  We turn to other or self instead of turning to God and trusting in Him.

In our lives, when the storm clouds rise or when worry or doubt or… well up, may we turn to the only One who can save and protect – our One true God.  May we trust in God alone.


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Present

Reading: Exodus 14: 19-31

Verse 31: When the people saw the great power the Lord displayed… the people put their trust in Him.

In today’s passage the Israelites experience the final detachment from Pharaoh and his army.  Fear and doubt has again suddenly consumed the Israelites.  They even uttered to Moses, “It would have been better for us to serve in Egypt than to die in the desert” (Exodus 14:12).  Moses told them to stand firm and see the deliverance of the Lord.  Trust – trust in God.

God does indeed deliver Israel!  The angel and pillar of cloud form a protective barrier and God parts the sea.  The Israelites cross over on dry land but when the Egyptians follow God stalls them out and the waters return.  Verse 21 records, “Not one of them survived”.  What the people saw as a huge situation that quickly led to doubt and fear, God saw as an opportunity to deliver His people.  God intervened on their behalf to save His chosen people, whom He dearly loves.

God had led them out of slavery and had even blessed their exit.  He had guided them to this point, yet fear and doubt rose up quickly.  God’s mighty act of deliverance in the Passover was still very fresh in their minds, yet they quickly abandoned their faith.  We too can be much like the Israelites.  We can walk in close connection with God for days and days or even for years and something arises that makes us question or doubt and our faith almost evaporates.  The doubt or fear or anxiety or whatever quickly dominates our thoughts.  And then God still steps in and begins to work in our situation and delivers us too.  We look back and wonder why we ever questioned, why we doubted, why we didn’t just continue to rely on God.

The Israelites are delivered!  It was a powerful experience of God’s might.  Verse 31 tells us, “When the people saw the great power the Lord displayed… the people put their trust in Him”.  This too is an experience like the Passover, one they will tell over and over down through the generations.  Our experiences with God delivering us can be such moments as well.  May we also remember when God was present and acted in our lives, so we can retell and retell the story so that our faith and trust grows and grows.  God is ever present in our lives.  May we live into this more and more each day.


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Hold Tightly

Reading: Genesis 32: 22-31

Verse 24: Jacob was left alone and a man wrestled with him till daybreak.

God directs Jacob to return home.  He is being led to return to the family that he tricked and stole from.  This worries Jacob.  As he nears home, he sends all his family and all he owns across the stream and he remains alone on the far side.  The scene is set for some alone time with God.

At times we find ourselves in a similar situation.  We are returning to or going someplace that causes us some fear or worry or anxiety.  We may be the cause of it or it could be from things outside of us that are causing the uneasiness.  Yet we know we must go.  Here we too seek some guidance or direction or encouragement from God.  We want to know that we do not go alone.

“Jacob was left alone and a man wrestled with him till daybreak”.  As turmoil stirs around inside Jacob, a man comes and wrestles with him.  It could be an angel.  It could be a man sent by God.  It could be God.  Whatever the case, Jacob realizes that this is a powerful foe and this leads him to demand a blessing.  He has already sent quite a blessing across the stream – his wives and children, his large herds and flocks, and his many possessions.  Yet he demanded more.  God has blessed him and now he asks for more.
In our times of trial and stress, we who have also been blessed often go to God asking for more.  Sometimes God will allow us to do a bit of wrestling too.  God will allow us to sit in our feelings of uncertainty and fear because it leads us back to Him.  He wants to know if we too will hold on tightly.  Jacob does not give up in the wrestling match and he is rewarded.  He receives a new name – Israel – the one who struggled with God.  Jacob departs the scene knowing that God is with him.  It is now a hopeful future for Jacob.

At times we too will wrestle with God.  We too will struggle and ask the “why” questions.  In this story we see that God is faithful to those who hold tightly to Him, to those who remain steadfast.  May we ever hold tightly to our God, trusting in His blessings.


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Bethel Moments

Reading: Genesis 28: 10-19

Verse 15: I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go.

Jacob has had a long day of travel.  As darkness sets is, he grabs a rock for a pillow and lays down on the ground.  He is happy for his spartan bed.  Perhaps you too have been there.  You have driven a long ways that day and are happy to finally have a place to lay your head for the night.  You’ve gone on a little further just to get a little closer to your destination.  Jacob is just the opposite: he has gone on a lot further to get away from Esau.  He had just stolen his father Isaac’s blessing from Esau and he is fleeing to Haran for protection.

In our passage today, we soon find that God is blessing this whole adventure.  In the middle of the night, Jacob awakens to angels ascending and descending a set of stairs, coming and going from the earth.  Then God speaks to Jacob from the top of the stairs to heaven.  God gives Jacob this great promise: “I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go”.  What reassurance!  God also adds that He will give Jacob and his descendants this land to live in.  God closes this exchange with another promise: “I will not leave you until I have done what I promised”.  In the morning Jacob awakens and builds a pillar and names this place ‘Bethel’ – house of God.

Like Jacob, we too have our Bethel moments.  We too have come to the place of weariness and have laid down our heads, happy for the day to draw to a close.  We have carried our burdens or worries or anxieties with us and are content to just find a little rest.  And then God has shown up.  Sometimes we have prayed and sought God out and other times He has just shown up.  Sometimes it is God and sometimes it is one sent by God.  God may not remove all of our burdens… but He (or His agent) shoulders some of the load and holds our hand as we begin to move forward.  There is no question that God has been present and we have been blessed by His care and love.  This day may we take the opportunity to thank God for our Bethel moments and to rejoice in His presence in our lives.


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Run to God

Reading: 2 Thessalonians 2: 1-5 and 13-17

Paul is writing into a situation where there is some sense of urgency or anxiety.  He encourages this church to “not become easily unsettled or alarmed” by the false prophets.  Paul must be writing about this because it has begun to happen.  The church looks at the world around them and wonders if the end is at hand.  We can relate well to this at times in our modern world. At times we too look at the world and wonder.

On a smaller scale I think we do this at times, in our own lives.  Traumatic and sudden events can cause us to question and think the end is near.  The loss of a child, the sudden death of a spouse in middle age, the unexpected pink slip at work – all can put us into a mode of anxiety or fear or doubt. All of these things can shake us too and can almost paralyze us.

The words Paul speaks to the church speak to us as well: “from the beginning God chose you to be saved”.  In essence, Paul is saying, trust in God and the plan God has for you.  Trust that God alone is fully in control, that no matter what happens here, we are in God’s hands.  Paul goes on to encourage them to “stand firm and hold onto the teachings”.  Remember what is in God’s Word.  Stand on your faith, hold fast to the promises – “I will never leave you or forsake you”.

When fear or anxiety rise up, Paul says to run to God.  When the world seems to be falling apart, run to God.  When we feel like we cannot make it on our own, run to God.  Why?  As Paul wrote, “May our Lord Jesus Christ, who by His grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your heart and strengthen you for every good deed and word”.  Run to God, the promises are true.


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The Flock

Reading: Luke 12: 32-40

In a world where fear is so prevalent, Jesus’ words of “Do not be afraid little flock” bring us great comfort and reassurance.  In our lives the fear of violence, illness, and death join together with our worries about money, popularity, and appearance.  But in Jesus’ simple words we hear His desire to take us in, to keep us from harm, to protect and guide us.  Metaphorically, we are the sheep and Jesus is the shepherd.

At times in our lives we will feel fear or experience anxiety over money…  We may even begin to feel overwhelmed.  In these moments we must call upon our faith to calm our fears and worries.  God has us.  We are the flock that lives in God’s ever present love and care.  Jesus goes on to remind us of God’s desire to give us the kingdom.  It is a place of love and peace and comfort and rest. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, God is constantly st work building up the kingdom here on earth.

As followers of Jesus Christ we are invited both into the kingdom and into the work of building it.  We are invited to live in this place of peace, comfort, rest, and love and away from the things of this world such as fear.  But many do not know of this place.  Many do not have a relationship with Christ.  One of our roles is to help in spreading and building the kingdom here on earth by inviting others in by sharing the good news of Jesus Christ.  God desires that all the people of the earth are in the kingdom.  The kingdom is for all people.

With Christ in our lives, we are no longer slaves to fear, to worry, to the things of this world.  We know these things exist and they do creep in from time to time. Because we rest assured in Jesus’ love and care, we can cast all of these things upon Jesus.  This is a wonderful part of being in the ‘little flock’.  It is also a wonderful thing to share.  This day may we work alongside God, striving to add more sheep to the flock.


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Hope in God

Reading: Psalm 42: 9-11

Doubt is a part of faith.  For some believers, faith is usually able to conquer doubt.  For all, however, at times doubt rises up and pushed our faith down.  We have all experienced times when doubt has gotten the best of us and we find it hard to call on our faith.  Part of us knows that God is always present and near us, yet we, like the psalmist, will have times when the bigger part of us feels as if God has forgotten about us.  This often occurs in times of personal struggle.

Doubt can also be cast upon us from the outside world.  When we hear of tragedies such as the recent mass shooting or the actions of ISIS or 9/11 type events, we naturally ask the “Why” question and wonder where God is in the midst of it all.  God is found nowhere in the evil of such horrific events, but He is near to some of the victims and then God is definitely near in the soon-to-follow outpouring of prayers and other forms of love and support.

Life will bring times or even seasons where we doubt.  Close relatives fear and anxiety also visit us from time to time.  Yet the presence of God can be a constant to us, even in times when doubt, fear, and anxiety are present.  Like the psalmist, may we too put our hope in God, knowing that we too shall soon praise God again.


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Draw Near

Reading: 1 Kings 19: 1-15a

Noise seems an almost constant.  We are always “on” – connected through our cell phones, computers, and tablets.  Media is an ever present companion.  At points we come to long for a little silence, for a break from all the noise.  Even as I sit here in the relative quiet of the early morning, I can hear birds chirping.  It is nice noise.  And I can also hear vehicle after vehicle driving on the highway.

Elijah’s life had been a whirlwind of activity.  His dealings with Ahab and Jezebel had been loud and confrontational.  Elijah has just defeated the prophets of Baal and has had them all killed.  Word of this has brought threat to his life from Jezebel.  In the midst of this, Elijah flees to the wilderness.  He is seeking solitude and safety.  But in the desert his fear and worry become the noise he hears.  He is exhausted physically and emotionally and is prepared to die.

How often does our busyness consume us?  How often does it seem like life is just one thing after another?  With work, family, social, and other responsibilities it seems like sleep is our only respite.  Then that is restless too as our mind is filled with all we need to get done tomorrow.  Even if we manage a little quiet time, the noise of our minds – stress, worry, anxiety, … – seizes our focus and draws us away from our prayer or Bible focus.

God too Elijah out into the wilderness.  He did not find God in the wind, fire, or earthquake.  Elijah found God in the still, small voice, in the whisper.  Today, may we too find God in the quiet.  May we slow down and draw near to God today.


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Facing Our Enemies

The Philistines gathered up a large army to do battle with Israel.  They were longtime adversaries.  The Philistines assembled all of their troops to do battle.  Surely Israel must respond.  Emotions running from fear to anger, from insecurity to valor must have been running through Israel’s common psyche.  Often each side assumes victory but one does not truly know until the battle has been fought.

In our lives we too face things that gather on the borders.  Things we fear or dread can sometimes be seen coming and we can watch the trouble brewing.  Sometimes trouble is a recurring issue.  It can be with a person at work or school or it can be with a thing such as alcohol or pornography.  In our bones and in our hearts we can sense these ‘enemies’ drawing near.

These familiar problems or common heartaches can cause fear and intimidation.  They can even be paralyzing at times.  Some days we just know what lies ahead at school or work and we just want to stay in bed!  Our ‘enemies’ can make us fearful, anxious, discouraged, …

But before we give into our fears, before we surrender before the battle has even begun, let us remember who is on our side.  Our ally comes with promises to never fail us, to always love us, to never forsake us, and to always be present in our lives.  Our God is a mighty God.  No enemy can stand against Him.  He is on our side.  Call on Him.  Feel His strength inside of you.  At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, even the enemy.

Scripture reference: 1 Samuel 17: 1a