Whatever storm is flooding your heart right now, God assures you that as you trust him, it will not sweep you away. You’ve got the rock of Jesus Christ to cling to.
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Anxiety: Knowing God’s Peace - Whether you experience nagging worry or debilitating panic, God’s Word offers hope and help. In this 31-day devotional, pastor and biblical counselor Paul Tautges delves deeply, but gently, into the heart of fear and unbelief, using daily readings, reflection questions, and practical application to fuel the faith that strengthens inner security and peace.
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I have got an odd picture in mind when it comes to the promises of God.
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada, and I picture, this is what I think of. You see, right off the coast of Santa Barbara, there are oil drilling platforms [maybe if you live along the Gulf Coast, you see the same thing]. And in the worst of storms when the seas are churning, and the winds are blowing, and the waves are crashing, those drilling platforms are steady as a rock. Here in California, I’ve seen those oil platforms out in the ocean, fixed and unmovable in the wind and waves. And for me, that’s a great picture of the promises of God. I mean, Bible promises are like those huge pylons that are driven deep down into the ocean floor. And so, when waves of anxiety threaten to overwhelm us; when fret and fear is about to shipwreck and sink your faith, we strap ourselves, as it were, to the pylons of God’s promises. Each Bible promise is unshakeable; immovable; and when we hold fast to them in the storms of life, we are safe. Worry and anxiety simply can’t sweep us away.
You know, I used to not believe that. It sounded like a great goal, but it didn’t seem practical. What, with my paralysis and pain, to me, it wasn’t a storm of life; it was a hurricane. It was a tsunami. But then someone showed me Isaiah 43:2, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; [those waters] will not sweep over you.” In other words, God was a lot bigger than my hurricane. And in Isaiah, God was even promising that the tsunami of my paralysis and pain would not drown me. So, I grabbed a hold of that promise in Isaiah 43 as though it were a life preserver. And slowly, worry and anxiety slowly began to drain away.
Now, you may be filled with anxious thoughts today: bills that need to be paid, the checkbook isn’t covering stuff, your children are being duped by our dark culture, your marriage is struggling, and I could go on and on. Well, here are a few pylons that you can cling to. These promises are the ones I always recall when anxiety begins to threaten me. In Isaiah 43, God promises to walk with you in your trials. In Hebrews, he pledges never to leave you or forsake you. In Psalm 23, you can even be at death’s door, but God is with you, walking with you every step of the way. God promises in 1 Peter 1 to guard you when your faith is tested. And from the lady in the wheelchair here? Well, I hold fast to 2 Corinthians 4:8 where God promises that, yeah, I will be pressed in on all sides. But I will not be crushed. Every promise of God provides a light at the end of your tunnel.
So, friend, if you struggle with anxiety, there is hope. There are answers. It’s the promises that God pledges to you. And to help you learn what those promises are, I want to give you a 31-day devotional written by my biblical counseling friend Paul Tautges. It’s called, “Anxiety: Knowing God’s Peace.” So, order your free copy at joniradio.org and commit to a journey that’ll help you move forward out of your fear and anxiety. Again, it’s free and you can get it at joniradio.org. And please remember, whatever storm [or hurricane, or tsunami] is flooding your heart right now, God assures you that as you trust him, it will not sweep you away. You’ve got the pylons; you’ve got the rock of Jesus Christ to cling to. And absolutely nothing can shake your Savior, right? For Jesus says that although you’ll have trouble in this world, he has overcome the world – and that’s the best promise of all.
© Joni and Friends