Faith or Fear?

Ever have one of those days (or several) where it feels like your mind or your emotions just got plastered with sludge? You did your devotions, had your breakfast, you're even on your second cup of coffee but your engine just slipped into reverse? Niggling fears or anxious thoughts have set up camp and threaten to steal your time and energy. What now?
 
That describes my yesterday in a nutshell. Those same thoughts started creeping in today. Again?? Time to take action. Time to get to the bottom of this.

"God, what's Your truth about this?" I saw a picture of binoculars in my mind's eye and sensed that the Lord was asking me: "What are you focusing on?"

Last year we had an army of ants invading our kitchen. A line of tiny black soldiers marched through a small gap in the window above the sink looking for crumbs to steal. They were relentless until I set an ant trap along their path. Problem solved!

Yesterday anxious thoughts and fears marched through my mind like those tiny ants, disturbing my peace and stealing my focus. I had to make a choice. Would I focus on the problems or the Problem Solver?

I set a trap for my thoughts. I pictured the planets, stars and galaxies and asked myself: If God is powerful enough to create all this beauty out of nothing, is He not mighty enough to calm the storms that surround me (Mark 4:37-41)? Even if I do not yet see the solutions, can I trust Him to strengthen me and see me through to the other side?

Jesus said, "It is finished."I needed a reminder that we battle from a place of victory. Worry and anxiety threaten to steal that victory, but choosing to focus on God's character and His promises, not those intrusive thoughts, redirects us to faith rather than fear. 

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33 NIV).

What are your binoculars focused on today? If anxiety is stealing your peace try these promises to calm your thoughts:

Matt. 6:33-3         He will supply our needs when we seek Him first.
Isaiah 41:10         He promises to help us.
Psalm 34:4           He delivers us from all our fears.
Philippians 4:13    We have strength through Christ for all things.

#godanswersprayer  #faithnotfear  #peaceofgod