Anxiety to Praise
Anxiety seems to creep in at a moment's notice and be very overwhelming. Whether it’s feeling like you’re not enough, not sure what’s next, or something is changing in your life that you have no control over. What can we do in these moments?
Someone who had every right to let anxiety overcome them was Paul and Silas. Here they are doing what God has asked them to do, spreading the gospel, being led by the spirit - they even had just cast a demon out of someone, and they are publicly beaten and thrown in jail. What did they do next?
Acts 16:25 tells us that around midnight, they were praying and singing to God – they’re bleeding, hurting, not sure how they are getting out of prison, and they are seeking God’s face. Verse 26 goes on to say that an earthquake shook the prison, all the doors were opened, and the chains fell off!
Not only were they free, but the Lord uses Paul and Silas in the moment of freedom to bring the guard and his family to salvation. Isn’t God so good!
QUESTION FOR TODAY: If Paul and Silas had allowed fear and anxiety to take hold of them, would the Lord had rescued them? Is there something in your life that you have allowed anxiety to distract you from your relationship with Jesus?
PRAY THIS:
God, thank You for who You are and that You’ve got everything under control. Right now, I speak against any anxiety, stress, or fear that I'm feeling – it has to go. I pray for peace that surpasses all understanding, and I praise You for being here with me.
TRY THIS:
Today, set a 10-minute timer. For the first 5 minutes, write down every anxious thought that’s been circling your mind. Then tear that page out, lay it on the floor, and kneel over it. Spend the next 5 minutes doing what Paul and Silas did—pray and worship out loud right on top of those worries. Thank Jesus for each specific situation, ask for His peace, and declare Philippians 4:6-7 over your life. When the timer ends, throw the paper away as a physical reminder that those chains are off, and you’re walking free.