January 11
All Our Anxiety
1 Peter 5:6-7
Isn't it interesting that Satan prowling like a roaring lion is mentioned in a passage dealing with anxious thoughts? Worry can feel like an attack—we get torn up on the inside by fears, frustration, and helplessness. Anxiety is a tormenting emotion, and the Devil wields it very well.
We don't have to live with worry, because the Lord closes the mouths of lions that threaten His followers (Dan. 6:22). Peter described how to keep clear of anxiety's jaws. First, we humble ourselves before God. What causes worry is a sense of helplessness in a given situation, so the best response is yielding yourself to God—submitting to Him with the confidence that He has the power to control your life. Another thing that builds trust is the realization that God is always engineering circumstances for your good and His glory (Rom 8:28).
Remember, prayer is a declaration of dependence. When we humble ourselves, we're kneeling before an omnipotent God. Nothing is a challenge for His power, which brings us to the second step of casting cares upon Him: the simple exercise of telling the Lord your troubles and then trusting Him to deal with them. He assumes responsibility for meeting believers' needs (Matt. 6:31-32). Your part is to prioritize obeying Him and living a righteous life (v. 33).
There's one more step: Resist Satan by remaining firm in faith. In other words, don't snatch those concerns out of God's hands to worry over them anew. When the Devil's ways make you tremble with anxiety, reject His lie and affirm that the Lord is adequate to handle the situation.
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