So I woke up today feeling blah…sort of down in the dumps. No specific reasons, but my head was racing with negative thoughts about myself and whatever else. And I was ashamed.
Why am I so anxious, fearful, worried?
I’m a Christian. I shouldn’t be that way.
I know God’s in control.
I know He loves me just as I am.
So I threw on my sneakers, and decided to get some exercise to clear my head a bit. I headed to my treadmill, and walked to the Desiring God Sermon of the Day podcast, “If You Abide In My Word, You Are Truly My Disciples.” (4/16/20) If you’ve never heard these, I highly recommend. John Piper has such a heart for God.
The verse he spoke on was John 8:31, and the bottom-line message I got was that I need to commit each day to spending time in God’s Word (the Bible), and that the only way I can find true peace is to ABIDE IN HIS WORD. Nothing else will suffice.
Oh, sure, I read His Word or a devotional here and there, hit or miss, as the mood strikes. But I’m not consistent, and sometimes I do it half-heartedly, not really focusing on God, concentrating on His Word, and just relaxing in His presence.
How can I have peace if I’m not spending time, quietly, reading His Word, and having fellowship with Him on a daily basis?
And it’s not about putting “time with God” or “reading my Bible” on my to-do list and checking it off each day.
It’s about personal, intimate time alone, focused solely on Him and what He wants to show or teach me at that moment and how He wants to wrap His arms around me and give me that unconditional love and peace I absolutely cannot find anywhere else.
Nothing besides abiding (constantly and on a daily basis) in God’s Word can begin to…
- Free me of the anxieties and fears that naturally come with a world so full of pain and sufferings
- Free me from my feelings of inadequacy, comparing myself to others and fearing I’m not quite measuring up
- Help me to take my mind off myself and put it on Him and His many blessings
What exactly is God’s Word? It’s the total package of His message (as told in the Bible) of His love for us and how that love was and is so strong that He gave His Son’s life on the cross to allow for the forgiveness of our sins so that we (as sinful, fallen creatures) are able to not only approach or come remotely near to such a Holy, amazing God but that we can have an “up close and personal” relationship with Him. How incredible is that?!
If you’re overwhelmed with feelings of doubt, fear, negativity or just feeling blah today, I encourage you to spend time with God … quiet, focused, concentrated, relaxed time with God, digging into His Word and seeing what exciting things He wants to share with you.
Oh, and exercise helps too!
Have a wonderful day!!
