How anxious hearts can appropriate His Comfort

Have you ever been in a situation where you were painfully, awaiting a diagnosis from a doctor?

Or perhaps you are wondering where the next meal or your rent or mortgage will come from.

One can build up so much worry and negative thoughts about the present or future circumstances that it can literally destroy all hope and cripple their lives.   Many times the evil forecasts of the mind are unfounded and we inflict unnecessary suffering upon ourselves.Sometimes they are founded on fact or reality that we just must face.Either way, there is a God Who is there to comfort his children. 

According to physicians and psychologists, up to 80% of all illnesses are attributed to stress, which can be called the result of an anxious heart and mind.For many, it can actually lead to physical death to compound the problem.   Of course, most horrible is the prospect of the individual hastily plunging into an awful Hell after they die, because they haven't taken the time and faith necessary to avail themselves of the salvation freely offered by God!

Indeed, we must realize that anxiety, just like lonliness can kill.Horrible as that sounds, we must acknowledge that this is the potential that exists when fear and worrisome thoughts invade our hearts and minds.That Beautiful Friend scatters away all loneliness when we fellowship with Him.His Name is Jesus, of course.He is also the Answer to our worries and woes.

We must exercise faith in Jesus in to drive all that worry away.When faith is allowed to grow by meditating on His Word, then anxiety will go.Look at what Jesus says to our hearts today:

Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day isthe evil thereof. (Matt 6:25-34)

Now, it is true that it is easier to talk or write about it overcoming anxiety but quite another thing to undergo stressful, anxiety-producing situations.   Many are facing the unknown with no positive signs in sight right nowThere are some of you out there who are in a hard place right now.Do we realize that there is a God in Heaven Who is quite informed about your present plight?That Jesus is not just a cosmic watcher, Who is an emotionally detached observer.He has Power to save, heal, provide all the things that you need and bring peace to your heart and mind right now.

"Please, Lord help me. Have mercy on me!"

 We can cry out to the Lord and He will hear us. 

"Lord, You are Holy and Good.Please strengthen your child(ren) and make all well!"

At stressful times we need to think about the Character of Almighty God.He cares more about us and our loved ones than anyone else.We need to focus in on His Word which will reveal His purposes to us.As our minds and hearts turn to gazing upon His Love and Majesty and Sovereignty, we will come to feel that our problems are not too big for Him to handle.That He can and will undertake for the soul that puts his trust in Him. 

Please read carefully, these powerful promises and commands from God to relieve and eventually rid you of anxiety:

"Perfect peace have they whose mind is stayed on thee" (Isaiah 26:3)

"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 comprehension shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6,7)

So, we are not meant to succumb to anxiety, even though we may face very stressful situations at times.The initial, human response will be there (as an instinct) to worry or fear when certain news or feelings come to us.For us to dwell on anxiety when it comes to us and to go on entertaining anxious thoughts is a sin.The people of the world may go on sorrowing and worrying and complaining and become bitter etc.We, the sons and daughters of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords must not do so.By faith, we must cease thinking in negative terms and believe God to be our Support and Solver of all our distesses and problems.

You see, the difference in the child of God (i.e. one who loves Him and believes and puts into practice His Word) is that he will bring all the cares, no matter how small or large to the Lord immediately.Now, he has One Who can really help him through.What God sees fit to do with the actual situation is dependent on your faith sometimes and sometimes it is just a matter of His Sovereign Will, where He knows what will be better for us ultimately, inspite of what we think may be best.We need to commit everything into His Capable Hands.He is there for you right now, dear friend.He can feel your hurt and tears.He is loving and gracious enough to wipe all the tears away.He has enough power also to work everything out for the best somehow.

"And we know that God Causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."
(Romans 8:28)

Again, it is far easier to write about it when one is not undergoing the tragedy or other stressful situation.However, it may of interest for the reader to note that the author of this article had to face the unknown recently and fight off ominous forebodings in his mind as he awaited some news on a relative from far away.The chest began to get tight and the breathing shallow.The palms began to sweat and the body quiver.How quickly everything takes on a new perspective when we face potential tragedy! Life and death hanging in the balance.The whole of existence seems trivial and tasteless all of a sudden.When we go through such worry, we are just looking for relief from the anxiety by the reception of some good news.As the author cried out to Jesus and worshiped Him, God comforted the author and His peace began to take over.He is the God of all comfort.

Please also note that Abraham, Job, David and others worshiped God when tragic (or potentially tragic) news of their children, house etc. came to them.They realized and acted on the truth that God was over and above all the details of their lives.We need to learn to worship God and His peace will take over us and anxiety will lose its grip on our lives. 

Yes, the Lord allows us to go through different processes in order to build our character and increase our dependence on Him, so that we will be faithfully rejoicing in our Faithful God and do great exploits for Him in the near future (just like the giants mentioned above from the Bible).

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort who comforts us in all our afflictions so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. (1 Cor 1:3,4)

May He be your Comfort today as you believe Him and take His Word of comfort into your heart.So, what is troubling you right now, dear reader?Doesn't matter of what magnitude the problem is.Bring it all to Him right away in prayer.Yes, take to your Heavenly Father all of your fears, tears and frustrations.Let Him give you that peace right now as you look to Him.  All will be well when you are safely resting in His loving Arms. 

"When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Thy consolations delight my soul." ( Psalm 94:19)

To be held in His Bosom in the midst of anxious times is all that we ultimately need!We know He will work everything out somehow then.To immediately worship Him even when bad news makes its way to us is our correct response because we know full well that He cares and He is faithful.And as noted above, in some marvelous, Sovereign way He is able to make all well in the end.Trust Him for it right now!

To recap the essential points in this article, please consider the following steps.

When facing anxious news, feelings or situations, you need to follow these biblical steps right away:

1)Confess and commit the problem or bad news to God immediately.

2)Worship the Lord at once, recounting His Greatness and Goodness and Love for you and your situation.

3)Believe that He will fill you with His peace immediately.

4)Continue persevering in faith that He will work everything out for your ultimate good.

Praise the Lord and all Glory to Jesus Christ, Who is our Everlasting Comfort!