BREAKING FREE FROM ANXIOUS THOUGHTS

Dear Lord, today I woke up feeling anxious, and I know that this is not from you. I expressed how I felt to you in my quiet time earlier, and it just made the feelings more intense, like I was giving power to the feelings I was having by acknowledging them. Now, I am speaking your truth into my feelings, and they are beginning to dissipate. Why is that? What is the principle here that you want me to learn?


Dear child, perfect love casts out fear. Anxiety is a form of fear. The more you look at it, the more anxious you can become. My love, which is the only perfect love, casts out that fear. Looking at me and my love for you solves your problem with anxiety. True?


Yes, Lord. Your Holy Word is clear: “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” (1 John 4:18) Lord Jesus Christ, my Master and Ruler of my soul, please bathe me right now in your perfect love. May I revel in it, Lord.


In order to grasp onto my love, you need to let go of your fear.


A FUNNY STORY TO ILLUSTRATE THIS POINT
A man is hiking when he suddenly slips and falls off a cliff. He manages to grab onto a branch sticking out from the side of the cliff, saving him from a deadly fall. Dangling high above the ground, he starts calling out for help.


"Help! Is there anyone up there?" he shouts.


After a few moments, he hears a powerful voice: "This is God. I will save you. Just let go of the branch, and I'll catch you."
The man looks down at the dizzying drop below him, then back toward the sky.
After a long pause, he yells, "Is there anyone else up there?"


SURRENDER, SURRENDER, SURRENDER
Why do my quiet times always come back to the concept of surrender, Lord? You lead me back here over and over again. In order to fully receive your love, I need to fully surrender myself, which includes my mind, which is the culprit here. My mind wants to think about earthly things, and all that I need to accomplish, and then I feel overwhelmed and anxious. In order to fully receive your love, Lord Jesus, what I am hearing is that I need to let go completely of these worries that are crossing my mind.


Child, go to my Word and dwell on verses that will help you.


TOP SEVEN SOLUTIONS TO ANXIETY
Lord, here are the “Top 7” verses in the New Testament that I found most helpful:

1. Trust the Love Christ Is All-Powerful: “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38-39
   
2. Trust the Peace of Christ Will Protect Us: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7
   
3. Practice “One Day at a Time: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:25-34
   
4. Embrace the Love of Christ: “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7
   
5. Rely on the Holy Spirit Living Inside of Us: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind." 2 Timothy 1:7
   
6. Be Obedient; Anxiety Is Sin: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." John 14:27
   
7. Put Full Trust in Christ: "Then Jesus said to his disciples: 'Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.'" Luke 12:22-26
   
   
   

Thank you, Lord. I feel much better and am ready to start my day.


Child, my Word will always comfort you if you surrender to it.


CLOSING PRAYER
Yes, Lord. I once again fully surrender to you. I repent from trying to live my life, once again, in the flesh. I totally trust you. Do with me as you please. Use me as you see fit. Make me into the man you want me to be, and lead me along the path you want me to go. I will faithfully follow you. I repent for having anxious thoughts. Please forgive me and help me not to sin again. Amen.


Your aspiring servant, Daniel M.
November 2, 2023
POSTSCRIPT: Dear friends, if this daily, transparent “Conversations with Christ” blesses you, please go to www.SOLIDpastors.org, where you will find these posted, and a repository of all, in English and Spanish. Note: All scriptures quoted are from the NIV.
If you ever want to chat, you can reach me at [email protected]. May Christ bless you richly as you have your own intimate, daily conversations with Christ.