Oops - I let a situation make me anxious yesterday. For the last 3 months, our water bill has been 3 times higher than normal.
I did all the tests the water company asked us to do. They did not reveal any leak.
We had a plumber come out to check. He did not find a leak either. However, he did say that our meter was not working and needed replacing.
I reported all of this to the water company.
So, I got my latest water bill yesterday. What did I see?
The bill was 4 TIMES higher than normal. Arghhhhh!
In the midst of drafting yet another dispute form with the water company, Philippians 4:6-7 came to my mind:
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
I love that the Bible is not just scripture; it is a PRESCRIPTION for what ails you.
In this case, I needed a PRESCRIPTION for
anxiety. So here is what the Bible told me to do when feelings of anxiety come upon me:
1. Pray. I talked to my Heavenly Father about the frustration I was feeling and how I wanted this issue resolved.
2. Supplication. I asked my Heavenly Father to act on my behalf in this situation according to Psalm 138:8: "The Lord will perfect that which concerns me..."
3. Thanksgiving. I expressed my thanksgiving to my Heavenly Father that I am not alone in this situation and that He is with me.
- I thanked Him for His faithfulness in always acting for my highest
good.
- I thanked Him for His love and peace.
- I thanked Him for another opportunity to come to know Him better in the challenging situations in my life.
The more I
expressed my thanksgiving, the more peace came to me.
So the next time you are feeling anxious, take Philippians 4:6-7 as your prescription - and keeping taking it as faithfully as you'd take a pill until your peace comes!