“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you..” (1 Peter 5:7 NIV)

Faith and fear are choices to choose between… choose faith!

Bad things happen from time to time to everyone; the Bible says so: “Both good and bad things happen to everyone...” (Ecclesiastes 9:2). However, no matter what negative situation you may encounter, you are faced with a choice regarding how to react. You can respond with fear, or you can respond with faith. Both faith and fear are choices we must make.

In chapter three of the book of Daniel, three Hebrew men—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—refused to bow down to the king’s image, even when they were told they would be thrown into the furnace if they did not comply. Instead of succumbing to fear, they chose faith and trusted God, regardless of the outcome, whether good or bad. As we know, God ultimately delivered them. The key point to remember is that they chose to trust God, regardless of how things appeared or what the outcome might be. That is true faith.

The Bible tells us that we cannot please God without faith (Hebrews 11:6). Faith is believing in God’s word over fear, no matter how dire the circumstances may seem. Hebrews 11:1 describes faith as being “certain of what we do not see.” It is an unwavering belief that God is constantly working behind the scenes in every area of our lives, even when there is no tangible evidence to support that belief. It means standing firmly on God’s Word, regardless of the situation.

There are thousands of promises in the Bible that address all possible situations and needs, and they are all “Yes” for you (2 Corinthians 1:20). When faced with any fearful situation, seek out the related promises and stand firmly on them.

A few examples of problems and Bible promises to stand firmly on

·      When faced with financial trouble

 “And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:19)

·      When faced with disease, pestilence or any pandemic

“I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.” (Psalms 91:2-8 NIV)

·      When faced with uncertain future

·      “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you..” (Psalm 32:8)

·      When someone turns against you

 “If God is for us who can be against us!” (Rom. 8:31)

·      When fearful about anything at all

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:7).

Quote:

“How sweet the name of Jesus sounds, In a believer’s ear! It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds, And drives away his fear.” - John Newton

“The LORD replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” (Exo. 33:14 NIV)

Rest defined: Cessation from labor, refreshment.

We have forgotten how to rest our minds

While we still take breaks and vacations from time to time, we rarely give our minds a chance to rest. Instead, we remain constantly connected to our devices, which keep our minds engaged without pause. This has led to a national addiction, with our devices—especially cell phones. They are often the last thing we check before bed and the first thing we reach for in the morning. If we accidentally leave our devices behind, even for a short trip, we frequently turn back to retrieve them. The persistent distractions from smartphones can greatly diminish our productivity. Research shows that it takes an average of 23 minutes to fully regain focus after an interruption. Consider how often your phone interrupts you each day.

If you recognize signs of device addiction, you may find the following excerpt from a NeuroLaunch article helpful.

Strategies for Overcoming Smartphone Addiction

The first step is self-assessment and awareness. Start by tracking your phone usage. Many smartphones now have built-in screen time tracking features, or you can use third-party apps. Be honest with yourself about how much time you’re spending on your device and what you’re using it for.

Digital detox strategies can be incredibly effective. This doesn’t necessarily mean going cold turkey (although a “phone-free” day can be eye-opening).

Start small:

• Set specific times for checking emails and social media

• Create phone-free zones in your home, like the dinner table

• Use “Do Not Disturb” mode during work hours or at night

• Remove social media apps from your home screen to reduce temptation

Mindfulness and alternative activities are crucial in breaking the smartphone habit. When you feel the urge to reach for your phone, pause and ask yourself why. Are you bored? Anxious? Looking for a distraction? Once you identify the underlying need, try to address it in a non-digital way. This could be through meditation, exercise, reading, or engaging in a hobby.” - NeuroLaunch

The ultimate answer to find true rest is Jesus!

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matt. 11:28-30 ESV) 

Therefore

“Return to your rest, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you.” (Psalm. 116:7)

Quote:

“Our rest lies in looking to the Lord, not to ourselves.” - Watchman Nee

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.” (Matt. 6.33 CSB)

There’s an old story about a shoe company that wanted to expand its business to other countries. So they sent two salesmen to a developing country to explore potential opportunities. One salesman immediately sent back a message saying, “I’m coming home; it’s a waste of time here; nobody wears shoes!” The other salesman also sent a message back to headquarters saying: “Send me 10,000 pairs of shoes; everyone here needs them!” Both men had first impressions, and it determined their actions and ultimately, their success level. This story reminds me of the often quoted axiom, “All’s well that ends well.” However, it's also usually true to say, "All's well that begins well." That's because the beginning of things often determines their outcome.

Always seek God first in things!

At the top of the page is a Bible promise, one of my favorites, which says to seek God first, along with His Kingdom and His righteousness. After you do this: ‘All these things will be provided.’ You can read the verses preceding this promise in Matthew 6:33 to discover what these promised things are.

Therefore

In everything you do, whether in word or in deed, put God first in it and you’ll experience His provision. It’s a wonderful and powerful promise!

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Col 3:17)

“Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4)

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (Prov. 3. 5-6)

“Never stop praying.” (1 Thess. 5:17 NLT)

The passage above instructs us to "never" stop praying; it is a command, not a suggestion. So, how do you do that? Actually, it’s not as difficult as you may think. When you become a Christian (born again), the Holy Spirit comes inside of you, and from that moment on, you are always connected to God. It’s similar to having your cell phone with you; you are connected all the time since you receive a signal continuously. Prayer is simply communicating with God, and you do that by speaking to Him with your mouth, your words, and even with your thoughts. Yes, God hears your thoughts, too! I know it may be hard to grasp mentally, but it’s true; many times you find in the New Testament Jesus knew what people thought and He reacted to it.

About prayer

The Lord's Prayer is a prayer the Lord Jesus taught His disciples in Matthew 6:9-13 and Luke 11:2-4. It’s a pattern you can easily follow.

Persevere in your prayers

“Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” (Luke 18:1 NIV)

“Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.” (Rom. 12:12 NLT)

Come to God who answers

“You who answer prayer, to you all people will come.” (Psalm 65:2 NIV)

The Holy Spirit will help you pray 

“And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.” (Rom. 8:26 NLT)

Pray that your joy will be complete 

“Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.” (John 16:24 NIV)

Therefore

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Phil. 4:6)

“As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me…” (Psalm 55:16-17 NIV)

Quote

“Some people think God does not like to be troubled with our constant coming and asking. The way to trouble God is not to come at all.” – D. L. Moody

“He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises.” (Rom. 4:21 NLT)

Promise: a declaration that one will do or refrain from doing something specified; a legally binding declaration that gives the person to whom it is made a right to expect or to claim the performance or forbearance of a specified act.

God has given us great and precious promises 

“And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.” (2 Peter 1:4 NLT)

No matter how many promises of God there are, they are all “yes” through Him

“For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes; therefore also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us.” (2 Cor. 2:20 NASB)

God’s promises never fail

“God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?” (Num. 23:19 ESV)

“Not one of the good promises which the LORD had made to the house of Israel failed; all came to pass.” (Josh. 21:45)

“Now behold, today I am going the way of all the earth, and you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one word of all the good words which the LORD your God spoke concerning you has failed; all have been fulfilled for you, not one of them has failed.” (Josh. 23:14)

Anything is possible if a person believes what Jesus has said about it

“What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.” (Mark 8:23 NLT)

Therefore

“…and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform.” (Rom. 4:21) 

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” (Heb. 10:23) 

“This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life.” (Psalm 119:50

Quote:

“Knowing that God is faithful, it really helps me to not be captivated by worry. But knowing that He will do what He has said, He will cause it to happen, whatever He has promised, and then it causes me to be less involved in worrying about a situation.” - Josh McDowell

“Godly people find life; evil people find death.” (Prov. 11:19 NLT)

Life: (Greek) Life, both of physical (present) and of spiritual (particularly future) existence.

Jesus came that you may have an  abundant life

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10 NASB)

Through Jesus, you will live, even after dying 

“Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying.” (John 11:25 NLT) 

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’” (John 14:6)

“When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” (Col. 3:4)

“Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” (1 John 5:12 NIV)

Therefore…

“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.” (John 5:24 NIV)

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?” (Matt. 6:25 NIV)

Quote

“Believing the right things about Jesus isn't enough. You're not adopted as God's child until you confess and turn away from your wrongdoing and receive the freely offered gift of forgiveness and eternal life that Jesus purchased with his death on the cross. Until you do that, you'll always be on the outside looking in.” - Lee Strobel

“He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.” (Psalm 23:3 ESV)

Path: a route, course, or track along which something moves; a course of action, conduct, or procedure.

God leads you to upright paths

“I have directed you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in upright paths.” (Prov. 4:11)

Ask God to teach you His paths

“Make me know Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths.” (Psalm 25:4)

•  The path of life

“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (Psalm 16:11 ESV)

• The path of justice

“I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice,” (Prov. 8:20 NIV)

•  The path of righteousness 

“So you will walk in the way of good men And keep to the paths of the righteous.” (Prov. 2:20)

• God’s Word will light your path

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105 ESV) 

Therefore

“In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” (Prov. 3:6 ESV)

“Thus says the LORD, “Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths, Where the good way is, and walk in it; And you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’” (Jer. 6:16)

Quote:

“Faith is taking the first step, even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” - Martin Luther King, Jr.

People sometimes become trapped by things which exert power over them. It may be an addiction to a chemical substance such as drugs, alcohol, tobacco, or something like pornography, gambling, food, electronic games, or anything else that gains control (fill in the blank). Whatever it is, large or small, God has provided a way of escape to get totally free from its control.

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” (2 Cor. 3:17) 

Freedom: the quality or state of being free, such as the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action; liberation from slavery or restraint, or from the power of another; the quality or state of being exempt or released usually from something onerous.

God provides a way out for you

“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” (1 Cor. 10:13 NIV)

“…call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.” (Psalm 59:15)

You are free indeed

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36)

Therefore…

 “But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the fruit you reap leads to holiness, and the outcome is eternal life.” (Rom. 6:22)

“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32 NIV)

“Live in freedom, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.” (1 Pet. 2:16)

“For you, brothers, were called to freedom; but do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh. Rather, serve one another in love.” (Gal. 5:13)

Quote:

 “In almost everything that touches our everyday life on earth, God is pleased when we're pleased. He wills that we be as free as birds to soar and sing our maker's praise without anxiety.” - A. W. Tozer

Snipe hunting

When I was a young boy, my older brother, David, told me about a little bird called a snipe. He described it as colorful, friendly, easy to tame, and a wonderful pet. He claimed that it was easy to catch down by the river with a little help from someone who could flush them out for me. All I needed to do was stand on the trail at night, holding a flashlight and an open paper bag, and I would easily catch one. I believed his exciting story wholeheartedly and couldn’t wait to go after the snipes!

That night, he and his friends took me to the river with a flashlight and a paper bag. They told me to wait while they went to flush the birds out. So I waited—and waited. Eventually, I realized they had left. The funny part is that when I finally went home, I was still unaware of the prank and wanted them to take me back to try again. When they finally revealed it was a joke, I didn’t believe them at first. I really wanted to believe in the snipe.

Changing the way you think

“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus…” (Phil. 2:5 ESV)

Strongly believing something, only to change your mind after receiving new information, is a common part of growing up. Exposure to new information constantly shapes our thinking. However, if you’ve already formed a strong opinion on a topic—like I did with snipes or like many do with politics, sports, or religion—you may resist changing your mind, even when presented with compelling evidence. As the saying goes, “A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still.” Many people fall into this pattern, which is why they remain stuck and fail to grow. Our thoughts ultimately reflect who we truly are.

“As a man thinks in his heart, so he is” (Prov. 23:7)

What to do

Therefore, in order to get unstuck and move forward, growth begins with a willingness to change and a plan to transform your thinking. The Bible has a lot to say on the topic.

• Renew your mind

Read and study the Bible daily to change your thinking from the world’s way of thinking to God’s way.

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Rom. 12:2 ESV) 

• Study the Bible daily

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Tim. 2:15 KJV)

• Take every thought captive

“We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ…” (2 Cor. 10:5 ESV)

• Set your minds on things that are above 

“Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” (Col. 3:2 ESV)

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (Phil. 4:8 ESV)

Therefore

“Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” (Prov. 4:23 ESV)

“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8 ESV)

Quote:

“The Mind can think only one thought at a time. If your mind is occupied by a meaningless thought, you block a meaningful thought from entering it.” - Unknown