Anxiety VS Faith

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

These last few months have been interesting to say the least. The changes everyone has been facing, the heaviness and chaos and fear that is consuming most of the world is H E A V Y. Trying to wrap my head around this year has officially become pointless. Why am “I” trying to figure it out? Is it because my “comforts” have been rattled? Well, as a “christian”, we are supposed to find comfort in HIM not our circumstances. And since God isn’t rattled… why is the world running around like a chicken with it’s head cut off? (That’s a weird and gross saying… but hopefully you get my point). We have greatly lost sight of HIM. We are so consumed with what is happening right in front of us that we are forgetting that we have an all knowing, all loving, and all mighty and powerful God.

“The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith; The beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety.”

When I first read that it H I T me. Am I operating out of faith? I didn’t actually consider myself to be a fearful person… but I found myself anxious about every word that came out of my mouth (cancel culture is real!), every post, every response… suddenly whatever I feel or believe about anything happening RIGHT NOW must be silenced in case anyone takes anything I say the wrong way. WOW! Wake up call! I took my eyes off of God and became fear focused and ME focused. (The sad reality so many of us are facing right now). Even in our best efforts to make a difference or have “Good” intentions for change… if our eyes aren’t on God and operating through Holy Spirit WE CAN DO NOTHING! Truly. Apart from God whatever I do is meaningless. If I am hugely successful what does that matter? I can’t take success to heaven. If I make billions of dollars… I can’t take that to heaven. I look at media today and it just looks like fear fighting fear. Fire dousing fire. How on earth do we expect healing out of that? (Unfortunately, with media it’s not about healing It’s about $$$. If we are all scared we are glued to the tv’s awaiting more information about whatever today’s issues bring. It’s just the truth of the industry. It all comes down to numbers.) Now, I am not saying don’t watch any news or read any articles ever… but if our focus is on JUST that… so are our emotions. *Our conversations often tell us where our focus is.* What are you talking about? What has your focus/attention? I want to be so focused on God and His word that HE shines in everything I do. The fruits of The Spirit should come out in any and all situations. Problems that we once looked at with fear and anxiety suddenly look like opportunities for growth and a place for Jesus to shine. All that we do has kingdom purpose.

We have to be careful and weary of our “emotions”. While our “feelings” can be strong and overwhelming that doesn’t mean they are RIGHT. How many times have we felt SO strongly about something and were TOTALLY wrong about it? Scripture tells us the human heart is deceitful. In a time that can be so confusing, and our emotions can easily overwhelm us we have access to a word that never changes and an all knowing and loving God. Lean into Him today and leave it all at His feet.

“Do not allow your feelings overwhelm your faith in Jesus”.

-LEX