By Lynda MacFarland
Untitled by Silvia & Frank via Pixabay.
Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
~ Philippians 4: 6-7 (NAB)
I get it. I cannot experience the peace of God, that peace that surpasses understanding if I hang on to my anxiety. Because that means I am not trusting God. I am experiencing a fair amount of anxiety lately and it saddens me that I am not able to trust Him more.
I was told by a friend that, if we are worried about our children, we should just bring them back to God time after time until the worry lessens. And that it will lessen even if you find you’re lifting them up to Him every hour all day long. So that’s what I’m going to try to do with my current worry over some personal concerns.
I should not hold on tightly to my fears until my vise-like embrace leaves no room for light and peace. I will strive to embrace gratitude and give thanks for God’s love for me. Ultimately, my prayers for the abandonment of fear and worry will bring me closer to my God and trust Him again. I suppose I must be grateful to God even for my anxiety. It pushes me on toward Him and reminds me of His love for me. Even when I doubt, even when I’m fearful. I really do know, deep down inside, He’s there, loving me.
About the author:
Lynda MacFarland was an Army wife for 33 years. Author of the autobiography, “Drowning in Lemonade – Reflections of an Army Wife,” she also has a blog with the same title, Drowning-In-Lemonade. Both address the role of her faith in dealing with the challenges of living an Army life and are intended as an encouragement to others.
Lovely work, Lynda!!
Thanks, Elizabeth!
So inspiring, something I need to work on as well.
The desire to work on it is more than half the battle! God knows our hearts. Thanks, Nancy!
This is very true. I get it as I worry about my children as well. Life is tough and there are so many concerns out there. But, He is bigger than any of them – look at St. Augustine and the prayers of his mom – I wonder – did she worry??? God Bless all moms as we all need to remember to leave our concerns daily at the foot of the cross.
Amen, Jayne! Sorry, but I missed your post all those months ago. Someone just recently looked at this, according to my personal blog, so I came back to remind myself what I’d written! 🙂 I don’t know that St. Monica worried about Augustine. I think her faith was so strong, she just wondered “how long?” And even that waiting was agony for her! All in God’s good time. Look what came out of that lengthy period? St. Augustine! The man who did much of the ‘heavy lifting’ for the Catholic faith we have today! Such a treasure she birthed and never gave up on. An awesome testimony for the rest of us! God bless you!
Beautifully said and so relate-able. Thank you!
Thank you, Juliana!
Wonderful piece Lynda MacFarland and Welcome to the #WINEwriters team
I don’t think there is anyone who can’t relate to the struggle of trusting in God when worry and anxiety are high!!
Phil 4:6-7 is a powerful lesson from St. Paul on the Lord’s promises in those moments… Pray about everything, Worry about Nothing 🙂
Tell God what is on your heart, THANK him and let his peace reign. #EasyForMeToSay lol
Allison, thanks! I write these things as much as reminders for myself as encouragement for others! As someone once said, “If you pray, don’t worry. If you worry, don’t pray.” We have to learn to turn over our fears to God and relinquish our anxiety. The more we do it, the easier it becomes! God’s grace enters in; it does!
Thank you so much! I needed this today. It was perfect—simple, powerful, to the point. So blessed to have you writing with WINE! Thank you for sharing your gift… and your anxiety 😉 Blessings!
Thank you, Kelly! I am honored to write for the Catholic Vineyard! I appreciate the invitation to join the other very talented workers! God bless!
Lynda thank you for opening up, sharing with all of us, we all have this same struggle and a good reminder we need to let go and God in control. God Bless and praying for you!
God bless you and thanks for the prayers! I need them!
Beautifully written – words of Godly wisdom needed every minute of every day . So happy to hear you are continuing your writing life. We need you in the world with pen in hand .
Thank you, Suzanne, for your kind words! Trying to do what God wants; go where He leads me! Many blessings!
Words I needed to hear, Lynda!
Thanks for letting me know, Emmy! God bless you, sweet girl! 🙂
The thought of anxiety bringing me closer to God, that it could actually be a beneficial thing, is one of those “wow” moments for me. Thank you. You have given me a lot to bring to prayer!
Donna, praise God, all the time! Even in fear or anxiety, just as much as in times of happiness and contentment. Joy is a fruit of the Spirit and it’s not about being ‘happy.’ It’s about knowing you are loved every second of your existence by the God who made you. And knowing that Jesus is with us, until the end of the world. Then beyond that, we have no need to remember His presence, because we will truly see Him as He is! Now there’s something awesome to contemplate.