What anxiousness?

Hi friends and loved ones ( or both )

 

I've told some of you about my anxiousness I've been having.  It's a real killer.  I was looking up anxious yesterday and came across some advice I have been giving through the years.  Don't you just hate it when your advice comes back to you? :)

 

Anyway after reading first Peter 5 (which I have enclosed with editorials) it really helped me a lot and maybe it might help you too.

 

Dialysis went fine today and I'm so thankful for all of you who are diligent to pray for me.  I try to pray for each of you (not enough, I'll admit) but  you are such joy to me and bring me much encouragement.

 

Anyway here's the passage I told you about.

 

Love, Dan

 

This is a passage of Scripture that I've found comforting through times like these:  It's in I Peter Chapter 5
 
Pastor Doran (Inter-City) pointed this out to us at a time when my wife was struggling with cancer.  The doctors told us she didn't have much longer to live and we were struck with emptiness and loss of words.  I have gotten much comfort through it in the past several years, when you get a chance look it over, it may help you.
 
I Peter 5
 6   Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time,
7   casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.
8    Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
9   But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.
10   After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.
11   To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen.
 
If you don't mind, I'll tell you how I look at it.
 
 6   Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.

v. 6-7 tells me to humble myself and give all my anxiousness to God because he truly cares for me.  He has it allunder control and in His timing, even though I certainly don't.  In the NIV version it says, "that he may lift you up in due time" That means at the right time, at His time.
 
8   Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
 
v. 8 tells me to be very careful not to give up or to give in or let go, because the devil is looking for someone to devour.  When we give up it gives him an opportunity to do his dirty work.
 
9   But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.
 
v. 9 gives me comfort because God tells you how to resist despair or doubts or depression which leads to being a prime candidate for the devil.  And he even tells you how to resist…. by standing firm in your faith.  Remember what you've been taught.  Remember who it is that is control.  Remember that God is in complete control.  Even though my situation may seem unique, God tells us that there are other brethren in the world who are having the same struggles.
 
10   After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.
 
v. 10 puts my situation in perspective when he says "after you have suffered a little while"…. It may not seem "little" right now, but God says it, so it is so.  But what give me more comfort is that God Himself (think of that God Himself!), as a gift to us through Christ made it so that we will spend eternity with Him.  That very God of the universe will perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.
 
11   To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen.
 
v. 11  God is in control regardless of the circumstances.  It's not temporary.  He hasn't forgotten you or me.  It will be forever!
 
Through our experience and trials, God gave us tremendous opportunities to witness to our relatives in a way we have never had the opportunities before.  One of my wife's cousins got saved as a result.  I felt it was a priceless lesson she gave to my children, who have experienced what it means to really trust God in times of trial when things seem out of control and hopeless.
 
When life seems out of control, God is always in control and you can depend upon Him to see you through.
 
May God be with you,
 
Dan