Anxious For Nothing

 Fear is not in love, but perfect love is casting out fear, for fear has chastening.  Now he who is fearing is not perfected in love. 

First Epistle of John 4: 18, Concordant New Testament 

Growing up, I used to have a bible which was given to me by my mother on one of my birthdays.  Over the years, that old bible took on the look as if it had seen better days.  Going through it every now and then I'd notice that there were more than a few well faded pages.  I also recalled that the reason that these pages were faded and well used was that they were the scriptures which I turned to and read most often.  One of the most often read sections came in the book of Matthew where Jesus spoke His sermon on the Mount.  No matter what I was going through in life, I could often find comfort in the words of Jesus in these passages.  This week I once again returned to those pages and the words of Jesus as He spoke to us about being anxious and worrying.  Jesus poses the question of who by worrying can add to their stature {Matthews Account 6:27}.  He lists off a few common material things which people of His day would worry over.  Food, clothing and drink.  Yet He reminds them that their Father in heaven surely knows of their needs {Matthews Account 6:32}.  I have found that those things which we worry and toil so much over can be broken down to the simplest form of our own fears.  We fear that we will not have enough to live on.  We fear that our situation may be too big for God to handle.  Yet God speaks to us that He KNOWS what we need before we even ask Him {Matthews Account 6:8}.  Yes, God knows our requests even before we speak them to Him.  God knows what we need even before we ask Him.  Why is it that we're anxious and afraid?  The apostle John speaks to our not having a spirit of fear {First Epistle of John 4:18}.  Indeed, we have a Father who knows our needs and desires before we even speak them and we are in Him in whatever it is that we do {Johns Account 14:20}.  But wait, what about those who are going without?  Yes, God knows their requests before they present them as well.  That God allows some of His children to go without is a discussion for another time.  

Tossing your entire worry on Him, for He is caring concerning you.

Peter to the Dispersion (1) 5:7, Concordant New Testament 

I remember some years ago when a good friend and I decided on a spur of the moment hunting trip to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.  This is commonly known in the Midwest as "White tail country."  Our supplies for this trip included our hunting bows, fishing rods, a rudimentary cooking stove and a few bottles of water.  We were truly roughing it!  So convinced were we that our hunt would be successful that we opted not to take food items for the trip.  If not, there was always catching a few fish to fry.  I would say that this is living in confidence.  Knowing that no matter what, the Lord would provide.  Of course, back then, the thought that it was God who was providing for us was farthest from my mind.  Yet that is exactly what was happening behind the scenes.  Too many times in life, our fears seem to contradict that which we have come to know in our hearts.  We know that God is above all things, yet we worry if our situation is too big for Him.  We know in our hearts that He knows our needs, but we speak our needs to Him despite this.  Do we fear that God has forgotten about us?  Possibly, I know that the thought has crossed my mind in the past.  The fact is that we live in a microwave speed world, and our expectations of the Lord move at about that same speed.  We're told to "Wait upon the Lord" {Isaiah 40:31}.  Indeed, stepping back and taking stock of a situation can often provide us with fresh insight.  Also, trusting in God and allowing Him to work through us can put fear in its rightful place.  

~Scott~