Frayed Nerves

“Don’t be pulled in different directions or be worried about a thing. Be saturated in prayer throughout each day...” (Philippians 4:6 TPT)

One of my knit blankets is coming apart. Over the years, it has been pulled and tugged in many directions. Now the edges are frayed. If it unravels completely, I shall miss its warmth and comfort.  

The concerns of this life can pull us in different directions. During times of stress, the demands on our time, energy, and emotions are high. It is natural to feel ill-equipped and overwhelmed. Worry tugs at every corner, unraveling our peace. 

The antidote to pervasive anxiety is to be saturated in prayer. When something is saturated, it is permeated completely; there is no space left for anything else. Prayer is communion with God. When we share our thoughts, emotions, and concerns with the Lord, we become one with Him. Infused by His presence, imbued by His strength, neither worry nor distractions can pull us apart. 

Saturated in Prayer

“Don’t be pulled in different directions or worried about a thing. Be saturated in prayer throughout each day, offering your faith-filled requests before God with overflowing gratitude. Tell him every detail of your life, then God’s wonderful peace that transcends human understanding will make the answers known to you through Jesus Christ. (Philippians 4:6-7 TPT)

Close friends rarely run out of things to talk about. They can be vulnerable, honest, and transparent about everything. They aren’t concerned that what they say will be misused or misunderstood. This level of relationship takes commitment, time, and trust. I am lucky to have good friends with whom I can share my burdens, thoughts, and joys. However, I do not have this level of intimacy with everyone I meet. For example, if I needed help moving a heavy, cumbersome object in my home--I would only ask someone with whom I had a close relationship. It takes time to know a person well enough to assess their strength, dependability, and availability. What if I didn’t have anyone in my life that fit this description? I wouldn’t just ask a neighbor whom I wave at occasionally! No, I would try to manage by myself--even if I had to drag my burden alone. 

God is strong, dependable, and available. Unless we know God intimately, we won’t feel comfortable going to Him with each and every concern. This level of relationship takes commitment, time, and trust. Prayer is any form of communication with God. When we unload our concerns to Him, we confirm our confidence in Him. We only feel the need to handle things on our own when we have no one whom we can rely on. 

Anxious thoughts reveal a lack of confidence in God. Worry pulls us away from the presence of God and back into the muck of worldliness. Distrust breeds chaos, while trust generates peace. The more we communicate with God, the more we get to know Him. Through prayer, we express our dependence on God. When we hand over our concerns to Him, we dethrone any illusions of self-reliance. Gratitude reminds us of the source of all goodness and reinforces our confidence in God. External troubles do not vanish. However, a supernatural peace that transcends human logic protects our minds from turbulence as we trust in Christ Jesus. 

End of Year

"Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” (Philippians 4:6 NLT)

Lord, I ask for:

--the tenacity to keep wrestling with things I don’t yet understand

--the courage to pursue truth, no matter what the cost

--the clarity of godly perspective

--the honesty to live authentically. 

Lord, I thank You for:

--the time, space, quiet, and opportunity to write

--the ability to articulate my thoughts and fluency in a global language

--technology

--over 1900 daily posts on this blog since 2012

--my editor, who goes through each and every post before it is published

--all the people who continually support and inspire me

--the Spirit of God, the Author and Finisher of everything.