The Flames of Anxiety

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you. Isaiah 43:2 NKJV

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.… Philippians 4:6-7 Berean Standard Bible

Faith refuses to judge God by circumstances.

The distressing phone call came at such an inconvenient time. (Is there ever a good time for a crisis?). In the middle of an already challenging workday, the unwelcome news added a heavy layer to her heart. Creating a tangible struggle to maintain peace in the midst of it all. Her mind raced as she felt the anxiety level growing, until the “waters” of anxious thoughts seemed to reach her very nostrils. As if from the old days of routinely-practiced elementary school fire drills, she knew exactly what to do. She’d been here before. She’d worked through the steps many times.  So, talking to the Lord, she reminded herself of His Word, and began quietly playing worship music and continued on with her work day.

To her frustration, the anxious feelings and racing heart didn’t budge so easily. Not this time. Instead, she had to walk through the fire of “what if,” as the flames licked her heals. She had to trust that God’s Word was, and is, true and that the flames of anxiety would not scorch her in the process.

Focusing her heart and mind on the Lord and His promises, in spite of her body’s physical reaction, felt a near impossibility. Eventually, taking pen to paper and quickly writing out her thoughts in the form of a prayer to the Lord, though the crisis remained, her mental and spiritual equilibrium returned. And with that, the hand-to-hand combat was over. For the moment. His Word, wielded through the sword of memorized scripture, had prevailed. Some enemies don’t fall easily do they? But fall they will as we learn to be persistent and stand on the Truth.

As the Lord said through the prophet Isaiah, though we walk through the fire, we will not be burned, He will be with us in the floods and in the flames. It is enough to know He is with us and that He controls the heat. There will be times when we must simply take God’s hand and walk through things. Not over or around, but through. And make the choice to trust God in spite of all we see, in spite of the pain or uncertainty embedded in our trial.

God does not promise to deliver us from our circumstances, but to be with us in the midst of them.

– Anne Graham Lotz

It’s my prayer, that even as the flames (of whatever sort) lick your heals, you will trust that He is with you in the fire and is sovereign over the heat. Now, let’s pick up our swords and wield them by the power of His Holy Spirit who lives within us!

My Father, How grateful I am for Your presence, with me, in these flames of difficulty. I choose to rest in You and lean hard on the truth of Your Word, as I speak it out loud to my spirit, You have promised that when I submit to You, resist, the devil, he will flee. Amen! In Jesus’ precious name I pray, Amen.

Written by Becky White for the Lord Jesus

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