do not

Anxiety will never ask you for permission.

“Hey, can I come wreak havoc on your mind for awhile?”

No, it doesn’t work like that. If it did, none of us would struggle with it. Although many of us find familiar bondage more comfortable than unfamiliar freedom, I don’t think any of us would choose to keep on being anxious. Ridiculous…

Or would we?

I cross-examine myself internally on this notion of  f r e e d o m . Because as I sit here typing, I am fighting against that age-old enemy called the spirit of anxiety. It nags and pulls and yells and throws a fit inside my head, and my spirit tells it to back off. And my theology says, “Take every thought captive”, and “do not be anxious about anything”.

Come to Me…

Yes, anxiety will often just present itself, and suddenly I find it is bombarding my mental highways and threatening my peace.
But at the same time, the Prince of Peace challenges it — and me — head on.

Amy, I’ve conquered this. It doesn’t have to rule you. 

And at this moment I find myself asking Him for the grace to not be anxious.
Do not be anxious, the Spirit says.
And my spirit replies, “Yes, Lord.”
And my feelings keep yelling.
But the truth is, He holds all that I am anxious about in His hands.
He won’t cast me out because of my anxiety. No matter how irrational it is, He won’t laugh at me for it.
But He will invite me to rest.
My feelings will go hysterical,
But He will challenge me with Truth.

My feelings say “Worry!”
But the Truth says Trust.

My feelings say “Be anxious!”
But the Truth says Do not.

My feelings…
But Truth.

My–
TRUTH.

* T R U T H *

 

Be still.