ANXIETY: Bow Down

By Kathi Pelton

Recently I was looking through my very first Bible that my Dad gave me when I came to the Lord as a teenager. I used that Bible as my guide for many years so there are a lot of notes and short prayers next to underlined scriptures that reveal His faithfulness to me.

One of the things that I noticed as I was looking through my old Bible was that as a young believer I was dealing with a lot of anxious thoughts. In the beginning of walking with Christ I did not have a track record of personal testimonies (beyond my salvation) to hold onto or that would point my anxious heart to his faithfulness. I was just learning his Word and how to let scripture lead me.

But, what I didn’t know was that I was about to embark on a life marked by miracles that proved the faithfulness of God!

One of the first notes that I came across as I flipped through the pages of my first Bible was next to the verse in Matthew 6:34 which says,

“Therefore, do not be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will care for itself…”

I wrote a date next to that scripture and put a short note about how I was desiring a Godly husband to spend my life with. If I recall, I felt quite anxious about being alone and felt strongly that I needed a life partner that was strong in their faith.

What I didn’t know when I wrote that date down next to that verse was that exactly 35-days later I would be going on a first date with that man who would be my husband.

A month earlier my heart was so anxious and concerned that I would not find a man who would love God and love me the way that I dreamed of being loved. But God had already picked him out and he would be better than anything I had ever dreamed of. I didn’t need to be anxious at all!

On another page from that Bible, I had underlined a verse from Psalm 113:9,

“He makes the barren woman abide in the house as a joyful mother of children.”

I had put a date next to that one as well because I had been going through treatments for infertility a few years after marrying my husband and my heart was very anxious about if we would ever be able to have a baby.

A close friend had prayed that verse over me on the date that I marked on it. It was two weeks later that we were made aware of the baby girl that we would soon adopt as our daughter— and I would be three months pregnant the day we would bring her home!

God gave us a double portion!

There Is one more note that I will share here (there are literally hundreds in this Bible) and it was regarding the call of God on my life. I underlined a verse from Matthew 7:7-8,

“Ask and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and he who knocks it shall be opened.”

Again, anxiety was causing me to wonder where we would find the place that God wanted us to serve. I was questioning whether or not we truly had heard from the Lord about his plans for us— and I was anxious! Yet, only months after putting a note and date on that scripture, we would end up being invited to be a part of a church plant leadership team where we would serve for the next sixteen years.

All three of these miracles happened while I was either in my teens or 20’s.

So why am I sharing them with you?

Because they were merely the beginning of God writing the story of His faithfulness upon the pages of my life. For every anxious thought, He already had the answer.

The only real “warfare” was found in the battle of unbelief. My soul was still learning to believe in his faithfulness, his love and his power in my life. My doubts and anxious heart didn’t stop him from moving or working in my life— but his Word was becoming a living testimony in my weakness.

We have a choice of where we can dwell— on the battlefield of anxiety about what we do not yet see or by the peaceful streams of faith in what we hope for. God invites us to dwell in the green pastures and still waters of his refuge. Quiet trust is a far better path to our miracles than anxious storms.

“Trust [rely on and have confidence] in the Lord and do good; Dwell in the land and feed [securely] on His faithfulness.

Delight yourself in the Lord, And He will give you the desires and petitions of your heart.” Psalm 37:3-4

We can either feed on His faithfulness or we can feed on the anxious thoughts that lead us back onto a battlefield that was never intended for us to fight on. Doubt, fear and anxieties drag us back to the old man (before being born again) who had to figure everything out for himself. It is like walking barefoot over broken glass when we’ve been invited to walk upon lush green fields.

But we have been born into God’s covenant promise and have been adopted as a children of God. Therefore, we don’t have to depend upon what our eyes see or upon human understanding— we walk and live by faith and hope— and that hope does not disappoint!

“Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.” Romans 5:1-5

Trials are often made up of the anxiety brought on by your unseen tomorrow. But God not only sees your tomorrow but he goes ahead of you and clears the way.

These trials (that we all face) can either be merely survived, while living on the battleground of anxious thoughts, or you can thrive, grow in faith, develop character/endurance, and drink of the refreshing streams of hope as you put your trust in God. It is far better to walk with hope and expectancy then to walk with dread and anxiety.

Today may be the time to recall all of the faithful acts that God has done on your behalf. Or, if you are new to walking with Jesus— meditate and learn the scriptures that talk about faith, hope and His faithfulness to Israel (as well as verses about not being anxious) because you are about to have the stories of His faithfulness written upon the pages of your life.

“The Lord gives grace and glory; no good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, how blessed is the man who trusts in You.” Psalm 84:11-12

Decree: Anxiety bow down! Bow down to the faithful promises of the Lord. Bow down storm, bow down unbelief, bow down hopelessness— bow down to the King of Glory who will do more than I can ask or imagine.