Living With Purpose

There’s a short note that’s taped to my desk at work that reads: “I heard a voice at evening say, bear not your yesterdays into tomorrow, nor load this week with last week’s sorrow. One step, then another, take your way, live your life day by day.” This is a good reminder for me to manage my anxiety well, and forsake the worrisome attitude that quickly develops when things get hectic, tiring, or troublesome.
Can you imagine having absolutely no worries? Life on earth is full of things that tempt us to worry. In fact, it almost seems irresponsible to not worry. Maybe we’re so insecure emotionally, that we feel bad things are going to happen if we don’t worry! Maybe we figure things are going to spin out of control and we’ll suffer in some way because we didn’t give enough concern and attention to the issue. I don’t think worry holds any positive gains for a person trying to live a wholesome life.
I’m in my fourth decade and have known some trouble. I’ve certainly thought about “worse-case scenarios”, but rarely does the worst ever come about, especially those things we create in our imaginative minds. Worrying or getting depressed doesn’t help a situation.
A person has to drag themselves away from the idea that troubles and heartaches will haunt them all of their days. The solution for this is to drag your worries and depressed thoughts to the Lord. King David spoke to God this way, “Listen to my prayer, O God. Don’t ignore my cry for help! Please listen and answer me, for I am overwhelmed by my troubles. My heart pounds in my chest. Fear and trembling overwhelm me, and I can’t stop shaking” (Psalm 55:1-5). Yes, even our thoughts, worrisome thoughts, when long held, will begin to affect you negatively. Worry can lead to anxiety and depression. But thankfully, God has made provision for us. In Psalm 55, David goes on to say, “I will call on God and the Lord will rescue me. Give your burdens to the Lord, and He will not permit the godly to slip and fall”.
If we happened to fall, the Lord doesn’t tell us to stay there! We get up because He is able to help us stand again. Cast your burdens upon Him for the accumulation of worldly worries will become too great for any one person to bear. Every time you’re tempted to pick them back up, remind yourself that they’ll only make you miserable and depressed. God is willing to handle all that you were not designed to handle.
There are four specific things, if you do them that will enable you to rise above the concerns that worry you and give you the blues:
• Claim the promises of God. People, even some Christians, wallow in the slough of despondency failing to claim God’s promises as they should. You may be aware of God’s promises, but are you appropriating them to your own needs? God’s promises are powerful, potent, and unfailing. Every promise He gives that is relevant to your life need, can be read, written down, memorized, and claimed by faith in Jesus’ name! Great and precious promises are waiting for you (2 Peter 1:4). What are you waiting for?
• Reclaim the presence of God in your life. When you start to worry or when discouragement strikes, seek God out! Lack of fellowship with God causes you to drift further from Him. Seek His forgiveness and cleansing for not considering Him in every part of life that affects you.
• Proclaim the power of God to strengthen your inner and outer self. The Bible says, “He gives power to the faint, and to them that have no might, He increases strength” (Isaiah 40:29). By proclaiming the power of God we declare our faith. Faith is the victorious weapon that enables us to win over worry and to beat the blues in life.
• Exclaim the praises of God, because He deserves it! The more a person praises God, the more blessings God will send to them. It says in Psalm 67, “Let all the people praise you God and you shall bless us”. “Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I chose to put my hope in God! I will praise Him again—my Savior and my God!” (Psalm 42:11).
Try not to worry about the future, knowing that worry puts static in the grace that is within you. God knows all things and the future belongs to Him. He’s in charge so you never have to second-guess His love when you’re facing trouble.
• This weekly column is written by Matthew Dobson. He’s the author of the following books: “Soldiers of God: A Bible Study guide for Spiritual Warfare” and “The Authentic Teenager: A Bible Study Guide to Truth and Positive Living” and “Spiritual Fitness For Runners” and “Understanding the Higher Power”. Matthew can be reached by email: rmdobson@liberty.edu. He welcomes your thoughts concerning faith, belief, and Christian living.