DESPAIR or PRAYER

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

Fear leads to DESPAIR or PRAYER. – Max Lucado

I was continuing my little dig for truth about anxiety and in my search ran across this recent sermon from Max Lucado.  Within the 30-minute message he shares this little nugget of wisdom.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8TCYIZ7gbo

Fear leads either to DESPAIR or PRAYER.

It is up to US as to which.

For me I inserted the word ANXIETY for the FEAR and boy did that ever resonate.  I was in a place of real despair early in the morning hours of yesterday.

Despair, Desperation, Despondent, lots of D words. 

And those D words were leading me to another, DOUBT.

But as Max shared some insight from his new book about this topic I was reminded of another D word.  DIVINE.  And perhaps another, DAD.

I have a DIVINE DADDY who never gave me nor intended me to be washed over by fear or anxiety, instead of DEPAIR He has made Himself INFINITELY available for PRAYER.

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:7-8 (NLT)

Wow.

This PRAYER option is the much better way to go when the FEAR or ANXIOUSNESS strikes right?

For sure!

And as we pray we are reminded of GOD’S PROMISED PEACE an all-encompassing, transcendent peace.  A soothing and calming peace.

I hope you all don’t think I am beating a dead horse with this journey into anxious thoughts.  But from the texts and messages I have been getting lately, I don’t think so.  From yesterday’s post alone, I have had multiple folks reach out thankful for the reminders and tools.  So, while I know this most recent dive into my challenges has been good for me, I know it has been for a few others too.

That is why I want to close with this little additional thought from Max and the talk…

I am going to employ it and the tools from yesterday’s OFH today…

“Today, I will live today.

Yesterday is past.

Tomorrow is not yet.

I’m left with today.

So, today, I will live today.

Relive yesterday? No.

I will learn from it.

I will seek mercy for it.

I will take joy in it.

But I won’t live in it.

The sun has set on yesterday.

The sun has yet to rise on tomorrow.

Worry about the future? To what gain?

It deserves a glance, nothing more.

I can’t change tomorrow until tomorrow.

Today I will live today.

I will face today’s challenges with today’s strength.

I will dance today’s waltz with today’s music.

I will celebrate today’s opportunities with today’s hope.

Today.

May I laugh, listen, learn, and love today.

And, tomorrow, if it comes, may I do so again.”

Now time to pray.

Have a blessed day…

I love you all.

OPPORTUNITIES for HOPE