On my way home from work the other day, I was detoured
because of a very serious accident. At
that same time, I heard someone call into the radio station I was listening to
asking for prayers for the woman and children that were being treated at the scene. As I maneuvered through my alternate route, I
could see the lights of the emergency response vehicles and the blades of the
Life Flight helicopter on the overpass above me as I prayed. My thoughts of that accident and those people
stayed with me. For me, these kinds of experiences
feed anxiety. I will almost always
transfer these things onto my own life. For
example, if I had heard of a family that was affected by a house fire, then I
would be preoccupied with thoughts of a fire in my house. Were I told about a roller coaster going off
track, the local amusement park would spark my hesitation and dread. You see where this is going, don’t you?
These fears are completely ridiculous, I know. Still, repeating that to myself this morning
doesn’t really help me when I know our family will have to drive the kids in
different directions for games today.
While serious panic attacks remain mostly at bay, I continue to battle
overwhelming stress of fearful thoughts more regularly than I’d like to admit.
However, I am reminded of this:
God’s will is not something I can control or change. Originally this would cause me panic
itself. I mean, if it is God’s will that
someone will die today, nothing I do can deter that from happening, right? But, looking at it from a more positive
prospective is just as true, if it is not God’s will that someone will die
today, nothing I do can change that either!
And, the bible is very specific in this truth – God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and
self-control. (2Timothy 1:7) – we were not created or intended to be
fearful or anxious. He has spoken His
intentions over our lives and they were recorded in the bible long before we
were born, and they do not include fear and anxiety. Imagine planning to start a family and all
the hopes and plans you have for your children.
Did you ever think, “Oh, I want to have a fearful and anxious little girl
who trembles at her own thoughts?” Well,
our heavenly father didn’t either!
