Feeling Anxious? Do This

Do you ever wish you could live life a little more consistently? I have energetic days and lazy days, happy days and ho-hum days. I have productive days and days when I wonder if anything was accomplished!!

And if I’m honest, I see a similar vacillation in my spiritual life: some days my faith is strong, and somedays... well, it’s not.

Sometimes a faithless attitude creeps in unnoticed.

This happened to me the other morning when I was feeling overwhelmed and anxious by the responsibilities of the day. My mind knew God could help, but I still struggled. I felt a wrestling from within: knowing I should seek God for help but wondering if my seeking would be effective.

As I walked into my bedroom, a Bible verse dropped into my mind: “I believe, help my unbelief.”

Curious to know the verse’s context, I opened my Bible to Mark 9 and began reading. In this story, a father brought his demon possessed son to Jesus and said, “Jesus, if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”

If you can do anything...

I continued reading and was intrigued by Jesus’ response.

Jesus replied by repeating the man’s statement back to him, If you can do anything. Jesus was apparently addressing the man’s lack of faith.

Picture the scene. We have Jesus, the disciples, a father, and a demon possessed boy. And rather than attending to the frenzied demon possessed boy, Jesus’ full attention fixes on the man’s unbelief.

Addressing the boy’s father, Jesus said, “All things are possible for those who believe.”

All things are possible! All things! What a statement.

Should we sing the Hallelujah Chorus and call it done? End of story?

No.

The man’s encounter with Christ was not over, and neither was mine.

The Bible says the man cried out to Jesus with tears and said, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief.”

Can you sense the intensity of the moment?. . . crying out, tears. I love this man’s response because he answered so authentically. His answer revealed the fact that his faith was not where it could be.

And like that man, I believed, but needed Christ to help me with my unbelief. I had a choice: I could either follow the urge to plow through the day in my own strength or live by faith and truly bring my requests to Him.

As I reflected on these verses, I felt my faith stirring and Christ words, “All things are possible” echoing into my heart.

I quickly grabbed my journal and drew a line down the center of the page. I labeled the left column, “Worries” and listed everything (and I mean everything) troubling my heart that day. Then on the right column, I wrote, “All things are possible.” Across from each worry, I wrote the specific thing I needed from God and made it a prayer.

I loved that moment.

That simple step of faith spurred profound peace in my heart.

It was as if I had stopped long enough for Christ to look ME in the eyes, address my lack of faith, and deliver me from unbelief.

Through that exercise, I became anchored not only in Christ’s ability to take care of my list of “worries” but more importantly, I felt Him addressing the more immediate need of my heart: deliverance from unbelief.

I think if we examine our lives, we all have areas where we lack faith. Areas where we could cry out, “Lord I believe, but help my unbelief.”

Today ask yourself: Am I approaching God with an, “If you are able” attitude? What areas of concern does God want me to give completely to him? How would my life and the lives of those around me be different if I truly believed, “All things are possible.”

When I’m walking in the confidence of His sufficiency, I am walking in peace. Every anxiety can be turned to prayer. Every fear turns to faith. Every worry is an opportunity to trust in an unfailing God.

Prayerful people are peaceful people. Faith-filled hearts do not waiver.

Our heavenly Father longs for you and I to live a life anchored in His all-sufficiency. Today, do not let anxiety win. Don’t let the “what ifs” steal your joy. Bring your needs to Him and let the whisper of His Spirit assure you that with God, “All things are possible for those who believe.”