Anxiety is a lovely partner in life. It makes you worry about worrying, fear things that will probably never happen, doubt yourself, and hear everything with a critical ear. Anxiety makes your heart race, your palms sweat, and your body ache. Anxiety is a beast that takes your happiness, your patience, your love, and in some even takes their life. Anxiety is a real struggle for many of us. Some times we go through months, or even years without an anxious moment, but then it hits you like a ton of bricks out of nowhere. Anxiety can be something that eats you up little by little everyday, or a baseball bat to the head that smacks you across the face at the worst possible moments. 

The big problem with our anxiety is that it is rooted in doubt and uncertainty in God's love toward us and the reality that He never breaks His promise. God has promised heaven for us. He has predestined us for paradise. When we die, we will not go to hell, but will live forever with Him, and all the Host of Heaven in the eternal dwellings. He forgives us. He justifies us. He baptizes us and claims us as His very own children. When we eat and drink His Body and Blood, we eat and drink for our forgiveness, life, and salvation. God doesn't break His promise to have mercy on us, forgive us, and rescue us from the valley of the shadow of death. God The Lord is our salvation, as the Psalmist sings, "The Lord is my Light and my Salvation; whom shall I fear. The Lord is the stronghold of my life, of whom shall I be afraid." (Psalm 27:1).  God promises to forgive us, rescue us, and, as it says in Romans, "For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39).  Think about that phrase, "Nor things present nor things to come." This is the passage for the anxious. We the anxious worry about today, and about a future that will probably never happen. Yes, we all worry, but those who suffer with anxiety worry about worrying. We avoid situations that we think will cause us to stress out. The reality that Jesus is with you in the things you suffer presently and the things that will come is the only comfort that we have and the only one we need. No matter what is happening right now, or what could happen in the future, Jesus isn't going anywhere. NO matter how freaked out we get, Jesus remains calm and steadfast to His Word and promise. And His Word and Promise is that you are His forever, His beloved and forgiven co-heir of life eternal. 

Jesus speaks and says, "Therefore stop being anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself." (Matthew 6:34).  Jesus says this, and commands His apostles and us to stop worrying, because He knows it is something we struggle with everyday. Jesus doesn't say these things as if one day we will finally stop worrying and being anxious. No. Jesus says these things because He knows that we will suffer anxiety until we take our last breath. Jesus knows that we suffer the burden of having a wrecked up brain and a trembling heart. He knows we don't want to worry, and yet we can't help it. Jesus knows this, He forgives us for it, and He promises to be our companion through life as we suffer the attacks of the anxiety demons. 

When you are feeling anxious, stop and take a breath and say this pray out load, "Lord Jesus Christ, You commanded the wind and the waves, and they obeyed you. Speak peace to me, who is troubled with fear. By the power of Your Word, calm my anxious heart and the raging storms of my spirit, for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever, Amen." (Pastoral Prayer Companion). 

For you who are anxious. I pray you get through this day in the knowledge that Jesus loves you and He isn't going anywhere. 

Peace be with you. May the devil be silenced, the world be hushed, and the Old Adam be drowned anew so that you hear only the peaceful voice of your Savior Jesus who says, "I forgive you. I love you. I claim you as My own forever," Amen.

Jesus' Sheepdog