Psalm 34:4 – I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. (NIV)

We live in anxious times, and I suspect that many of us, including me, are just glad to get through each day. There's so much uncertainty in the world, and it's affecting each one of us. We don't know what lies ahead, and after three years of instability, we may wonder if things will ever change for the better. It's been a tough time to endure, and we're weary, even in the church.

When I came across today's verse in my daily readings, it reminded me to seek God in order to cope with my fears. Far too often, when I'm faced with difficulties, I offer up a rocket flare of a prayer, asking God to give strength to sustain me, as well as a timely solution to my problems. It's not an ideal way to build any solid relationship with God, for it causes me to treat Him as my personal spiritual paramedic and individual problem solver. In other words, I'm using God only for special emergencies.

Seeking God, on the other hand, takes time. It requires me to stop what I'm doing in order to have a deep conversation with God. I get so used to rushing my prayers that I forget Whom I'm actually addressing. However, when I intentionally set aside my busyness or anxiety, and patiently explain to God what I feel or fear, then I humbly listen for His counsel, wisdom, and teaching. Because I focus on God and not on me, my fears subside and my anxieties diminish.

I think that this is why Jesus invites all of us to come to Him when we're weary or burdened. It takes time, as well as personal intent, to respond to such an invitation. Christ means us to use it as a relationship builder with Him, and not as a problem solver for us. He wants us to seek Him, to be given His answer, and then to be delivered from all our fears.

Points to ponder: What is currently making me most anxious? Am I willing to seek the Lord and to take time to talk to Him about it?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You know us so well, and You are fully aware of what is presently troubling us. You're waiting for us to set aside time to let You know how we feel, so that You can embrace us in the midst of our fears, hearken to our issues, and offer Your counsel. Teach us to pray again and to trust You completely. Amen.

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About the author:

John Stuart <traqair@aol.com>
Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
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