anxiety

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What’s the difference between waiting and waiting patiently?

Relax - put trust into play

Relax – put trust into play

I waited patiently for the Lord. Psalm 40

Is there a difference between waiting and waiting patiently? Yes.

I wait for the bus to arrive. I am not patient: I look down the road for its arrival, or I check the bus schedule app on my phone, or I look at my watch only to see less than a minute has gone by since I last looked at my watch. Time passes – maybe I should say time drags, torturing me. Ten minutes seems an eternity. Consumed with what is missing – the bus; aware of my inconveniences, I’m late, It’s cold, I’m bored. Agitation and irritation rule my experience.

This is waiting without patience.

Waiting patiently doesn’t mean the bus will arrive any sooner, the same ten minutes pass; but what is different is my relationship with the passing time and the focus of my attention. My attention is not on what is lacking, but on what is present. I remember the bus is coming, it will be here when it gets here. I cannot change it’s arrival time. It has come every day around this time, it will come again today. So I might as well relax. The passing time reminds me I am not in control of my life (as much as I would like to believe I am!)

When I relax I am putting trust into play. There must be a better way to use these ten minutes than pacing and cursing and being frustrated.

I have a lot to say about waiting check out this for more thoughts and watch for more posts about the subject.  You’ll be glad you did.

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God is for you!

What worries you? What anxieties run through your mind at night? What fear keeps you awake, rehearsing a way to avoid it? What unknown do you dread? You long for sleep as an escape from your anxious thoughts, yet it evades you. Your mind will not quiet. You toss, you turn, you fear, you worry, you doubt, you cry to God for relief, you don’t know what to do, you wonder if God even cares.

Well, pay attention. In the midst of all you don’t know, know this: God is for you. God is cheering you on toward a good finish. The many fears and worries that threaten your peace and security will not interfere with God’s power and desire to bring good to your life. These fretful unknowns are your enemy, they bind you with anxiety. King David, held captive by a literal enemy, said, “This I know, that God is for me, in God I trust; I am not afraid. What can a mere mortal do to me.” Psalm 56:9,11

God is for you, trust God’s good intention and ability to cause all your enemies to retreat. Let this truth settle your mind. …and the peace of God, which passes all understanding shall rule your heart and your mind. Philippians 4:7

With you on the journey,

Debby