Worrying is as definitely
forbidden as theft. This needs to be carefully pondered
and definitely
realized by us, so
that we do not excuse
it as an innocent "infirmity." The
more we are convicted
of the
sinfulness of anxiety, the sooner are we likely
to perceive that it is most
dishonoring to God, and
"strive against" it (Heb.
12:4). But how are we to
"strive
against" it?
First, by begging the Holy
Spirit to grant us a deeper conviction of its enormity.
Second, by making it a
subject of
special and earnest
prayer, that we may be delivered
from this
evil. Third,
by watching
its beginning, and as soon as we are conscious of
harassment of mind, as soon as we detect the unbelieving
thought, lift up our
heart to God
and ask Him for
deliverance from it.
The best antidote for anxiety
is frequent meditation upon God’s goodness, power and
sufficiency. When the
saint can
confidently realize "The
Lord is My Shepherd," he must
draw the
conclusion, "I
shall not
want!" Immediately following our exhortation is, "but
in
everything by prayer and supplication, with
thanksgiving, let your request
be
made known unto God."
Nothing is too big and nothing is
too little to
spread
before and
cast upon the Lord. The "with thanksgiving" is most
important, yet it is the point at which we most fail. It
means that before we
receive God’s
answer, we thank Him
for the same: it is the confidence
of the
child
expecting his Father
to be gracious.
"Therefore
I say unto you, Take
no thought
(anxious concern) for
your life, what ye shall eat, or
what ye
shall drink;
nor yet for
your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more
than meat, and the body than raiment?" "But seek ye
first the kingdom of God
and His
righteousness; and all
these things shall be added unto
you." (Matthew
6:25,33)
