He preached it on Sunday. Do not be anxious. Then, he confessed the irony of his growing apprehension as the Sunday deadline rushed closer. Even the preacher knows anxiety.
But, he knows anxiousness is only a symptom of the deeper problem. The problem isn’t anxiety, he says. The problem is a distracted heart that strays from God and divides the mind. If you seek first God’s kingdom, the Spirit of God is able to refocus the heart on what matters, because life is about more than what worries us. Seek first the things of God over the things of the world.
And now it’s my turn. Without constant monitoring it would be easy to spiral downward with these questions: Am I parenting right? Are the children learning everything they need to know? Do they know how desperately, whole heartedly, and unconditionally I love them?
Will we have enough money to retire? Should we be saving for college? Do we invest, pay down the mortgage, fix up the house, or just give it all away?
Will my second book get picked up? Will the other one, the one that is my heart ripped open and scratched onto paper? What if God says, no? Or worse, what if he says yes and the reviews are horrid???
Seek first the things of God over the things of the world.
God knows what my children need. He gave them to us. Therefore, we are the right parents for these little ones. Will we parent perfectly? No! Can God work through our humble and sincere efforts to glorify Him and steer our children toward Him? Yes! How it is accomplished? Prioritize the things of the Lord.
When I consider the lilies of the field, how can I worry about our future needs? God cares for the sparrows, and He will care for me. Prioritize God and He promises to care for me.
And the book(s)? If my heart is truly in the proper place of desiring to glorify God with my ability, than WHATEVER He decides to do with my offering will be right and enough. Prioritize getting the message right, proclaiming His Word unashamedly and with boldness. God can take care of the rest.
Seek Him first, in everything.
*Listen to message from Sunday here. It is titled Breakthrough 2
Beautifully surrendered, Stacey. Thank you for the refocus 🙂
Praise the Lord for any encouragement you found here. Thank you for your comment, Lynne. It is always encouraging to “meet” new readers through the comment section.
You said it better than the preacher did 🙂
You make me smile 🙂 I love you, preacher-man!
Needed to read your posting, needed to hear the Preacher’s message, and needed the reminder that to seek Him first is surely the only way to begin my day! Thanks Stace….we love you all!
Willi
Hi Willi,
I’m praying that God will lift your anxiety as you set your mind and heart on Him. We need Him to intervene in our lives. We need Him to align our hearts with His. We need His power to submit our desires and concerns to HIm. Praying this for you and for me.
Much love to your family!