In this episode, we talk about how we deal with anxiety on a day-to-day basis, whether at work, at home, or in our relationship with God.
Matt starts by sharing that his job as a teacher isn’t just to hit standards and achieve objectives; it’s also to remember God’s presence and carry it with me. Meditating on and memorizing Scriptures like these helps a lot:.
Psalm 33
18 Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love,19 that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine.
20 Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield.21 For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name.22 Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.
Psalm 34:
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
Lance then shares about how Jesus is our peace. He’s the Author and Perfecter of our faith. So, why do we get anxious?
Matthew 6
28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
O you of little faith… How do we grow in faith?
People say, “Have faith.” How do we do that?
Looking back at what God has done for me in the past
Looking around at what God has done for others
Looking into God’s Word and up at His character
We end with discussing how returning to our first love doesn’t mean trying to get back to the “first date” feeling or the “Honeymoon” phase. Love in a marriage grows in daily choices and commitment. Returning to our first love means choosing every day to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and loving our neighbor as ourselves.
When we know who God is, we know we can trust Him. We don’t need to manipulate God into manipulating our feelings. We are stable through the ups and downs of our emotions because His love is consistently stable.