SPIRITUAL HEALTH IN UNCERTAIN TIMES, PART 1

Cast all your anxiety on (God) because he cares for you. Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 1 Peter 5:7-9

For many of us around the globe right now, the stress, anxiety and uncertainty we all feel as well as the grief we experience when someone we know or love is impacted by the coronavirus takes an emotional toll on our lives. When we are isolated, anxious, & experience grief, we look for comfort & ways to cope. But often, the ways we cope are not healthy or helpful. For example, around the world we see rising alcohol & drug use, overeating, pornography, on-line gambling, and other vices. This reminds me of that Bible verse we just read: The Devil looks to devour us - especially in our times of weakness.

But the Spirit of God, who gives life, is ever-present and He wants to lead you in this season. I believe He wants to use this season to build into you life, health, wholeness, and depth of faith. With this in mind, I begin a short series with tips for pursuing spiritual health in uncertain seasons.

Today’s Tip: Go to God.

Feelings of worry, fear, and grief are natural during uncertain seasons because we are brought face-to-face with the reality that there is much in this world that we cannot control. But what do we do with these feelings of uncertainty? 1 Peter 5:7 gives us the answer: go to God with it. We know casting our anxiety on God is a very good and safe thing to do because, as this verse declares, “He cares for you”. So, tip #1 in this series is a simple, but foundational reminder that our all-powerful God cares. He is in control and we can trust His goodness and His love for us. Here are a few verses to fuel our faith and keep us rooted in reality of God’s power & love. Take some time to read these truths and allow them to sink deep into your soul. Ask the Spirit to bring them to mind when you are struggling to experience God’s peace.

6 Verses About God’s Power:

• 1 Chronicles. 29:11 “Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all.” 
• Psalm 147:4-5 “He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names. Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.” 
• Isaiah 26:4 “Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.” 
• Jeremiah 10:12 “It is he who made the earth by his power, who established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding stretched out the heavens.”
• Daniel 4:3 “How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an eternal kingdom; his dominion endures from generation to generation." 
• Revelation 4:11 “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”

6 Verses About God’s Love:

• Isaiah 41:10 “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” 
• Psalm 57:10 “For your unfailing love is as high as the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.” 
• Zephaniah. 3:17 “The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.” 
• Matthew 11:28 “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” 
• John 10:11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” 
• 1 John 4:8-10 “…God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son in to the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” 

With these truths about God in mind, here is one more important verse.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6 

Freaking out about the things we can’t control will not change the situations we face, but it will keep us from having the right perspective. Choosing faith over fear shifts our mindset by fixing our eyes on our sovereign God. So when you find yourself feeling anxious, when your blood pressure starts to rise, and your mind begins spinning with all that is going on, stop and lift it all to the Lord. Remind yourself of His sovereign authority over all things as well as His constant loving presence with you. Let these realities bring you peace and perspective. This is the first important tip and it is foundational for the advice I will be sharing in the upcoming posts of this series.

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, I praise and thank you for your sovereign power and love. Forgive me for forgetting these awesome truths about you. I cast my anxiety on you today. Renew my perspective and bring me your peace. Allow me to walk with you today and remind me to fix my eyes on you when the uncertainties of this life seem overwhelming or whenever I feel anxious. I love and trust you, my Rock and Redeemer. Amen.