Let God’s Word Dominate
ICS Daily Devotions
Philippians 4:6-8 (AMP) Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Living in this world means that the Christian life is not exempt from challenges. However, we can take comfort because, as Christians, we have the peace of God. The true test of whether we have genuinely heard and learned from all the teaching and preaching will be revealed when we are faced with a challenging situation that causes us anxiety. Everything that we have heard and learned lays the foundation for us to confront the “perfect storm” of our lives with the perfect peace of God. We need to remember that when we go through tribulations and difficulties in life, the enemy’s objective is to steal the seed of the Word of God from our hearts (Matthew 13:21). Therefore, we can either be overcome by fear or stand firm with God’s peace that guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
We can worry about many things, such as our jobs or our health while waiting for medical results. These are all valid concerns, and we should not make light of them when we hear of someone being anxious over matters that are important to them. We all have different thresholds when it comes to handling stress. Therefore, we also need to be mindful that our spouse’s ability to handle stress might be different from ours.
What are the symptoms of anxiety? According to Timothy J. Legg, PhD, PsyD on www.healthline.com, they can include the following:
• nervousness, restlessness, or being tense
• feelings of danger, panic, or dread
• rapid heart rate
• rapid breathing, or hyperventilation
• increased or heavy sweating
• trembling or muscle twitching
• weakness and lethargy
• difficulty focusing or thinking clearly about anything except for what you’re worried about
• insomnia
• digestive or gastrointestinal problems, such as gas, constipation, or diarrhoea
• a strong desire to avoid the things that trigger your anxiety
Our thoughts tend to revolve around topics or issues that concern us, which can cause us to be anxious. However, when we are anxious, it means we are meditating on all the potential negative scenarios that might or might not happen. We need to know that being anxious about the problem will not solve it. It is like sitting in a rocking chair while many activities are happening, but making no progress. Also, if we do not arrest those thoughts, we might slip into hopelessness and depression.
Therefore, we must learn to refocus our thoughts on God’s Word because our minds can only concentrate on one thing at a time. Therefore, we either meditate on the negative or on the Word of God. It is a choice and an intentional act to pull down those thoughts before they become a stronghold in our minds (2 Corinthians 10:5). We can intentionally shift our focus from all the “what if’s” to “it is written.” We need to allow the Word of God to become the dominant thoughts in our lives.
Sermon Series: Relaxed and Composed
