Fear . . . Worry . . . Anxiety

You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You Because he trusts in You.(Isaiah 26:3, NKJV)

It doesn’t matter what name we give the emotion that ties our gut up in knots. The effects are the same. This crippling emotion is the opposite of trusting God. It robs us of the peace God desires to reign in our hearts. Lack of joy and lack of thankfulness follow close behind.

Jerry Bridges in his book Respectable Sins: Confronting the Sins We Tolerate writes,

Anxiety is “in effect, believing that God does not care for me and that He will not take care of me in the particular circumstance that triggers my anxiety of the moment.”

“Anxiety is a sin . . . because it is a lack of acceptance of God’s providence in our lives.”

Ouch!

He goes on to define God’s providence “as God’s orchestrating all circumstances on events in his His universe for His glory and the good of His people.”

The last few days the circumstances that tested my faith was waiting for the results of a biopsy, and I didn’t do so well.

Last night was the worst. I read a few more chapters of my book and finished another quilt square while the rest of the family was sound asleep. The rising stomach acid wouldn’t let me join them. The author’s plot speed closer to a finish, and my quilt top moved closer to completion, but by 5 a.m. I was exhausted.

God didn’t give me the results of the feared outcome until I handed my sinful doubts over to Him. In the wee hours of the morning I finally confessed my inability to conquer the battle of worry storming in my heart to God. In His mercy a few hours later, and a couple of days earlier then expected, the doctor’s office called with the results.

“Mrs. Dickhoner, your biopsy came back normal.”

Relief along with regret I wasted all that energy worrying flood my emotions as I write. I still have surgery facing me in a few weeks, but it will be less involved than feared.

“Lord, I long to trust You with whole heart, yet I continue to fight for control. Teach me to rest in Your goodness regardless the circumstances You bring into my life.”