OVERCOMING WORRY

When my anxious thoughts multiply within me,

Your consolations delight my soul. Psalm 91:14

There are times in life when the cares and concerns of this world can overwhelm us. The list of things that we can worry about can quickly grow; whether it is finances, health, deadlines at work, unkind neighbors, what is going to happen in our country or world. What do we do at that point?

We must live out and experience the comfort, the consolations, of our God. Notice, when we do, our soul will be delighted. We will no longer be overwhelmed and beat down; we will be lifted up in joyful praise. You could think of it like a ship that has been unevenly weighed down with a load that is more than it can handle. As the dockhands continue to put more and more material on the boat, it sinks lower and lower into the waters. Then, the water starts to seep over the edges; it is just a matter of time before the vessel will sink and be lost forever. But then the captain comes and turns a valve, releasing some of the ballast water, and the ship rises again. Turning that valve is what happens when we turn our thoughts from our worries to the Lord and receive the comfort that only He can give.

We are able to receive the Lord’s comfort as we meditate on the Scriptures and remind ourselves of who He is and what He has done. This is why Paul instructs us to, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!” (Phil. 4:4). As we rejoice in the Lord, we will receive His peace and comfort and our soul will be delighted in Him.

Joshua Steiner