My Calling to Seek God

HI everybody in the weeks leading up to my journey with the Word Race I wanted to share some notes I had taken a few years back from a book called Solomon Says by Pastor Duane Vanderklok. I started to read this book when I first realized how lost I was and just how badly I needed a relationship with God, my source for everything that was good in my life. This was originally notes for a podcast that I had done and these lessons seem to ring true today just as much as they did a few years back when I had just started my walk with God. In Pastor Vanderklok’s book he talks about practical life lessons for believers that can be found in Proverbs and at the time I thought this was a great place to start. It has been fun to look back and see how God has conquered and delivered me from a lot of these feelings/thoughts and desires, while continuing to develop my belief in Him with deeper and bigger challenges. This trip will surely be my biggest challenge yet and I can not wait to dive in head first! 

One of the things that inspired me to take this trip was I felt called to face my fear of being alone and the anxiety that comes with that. As a young kid I was usually top of my class and eager to excel in school. This often got me labeled as a dork, try to hard or goodie two shoes if you will. From this experience as I entered my teen years I developed the mindset that I would rather fit in than stand out and be different. The great deceiver had done just that and tricked me into believing that one of God’s greatest gifts to me was something I needed to run from and suppress. This was one of the many factors that led me away from God for some time as I tried so hard to fit in and “belong” with my friends and peers. Unfortunately this only resulted in some deeply seeded anxiety that took quite a while to face and ultimately led me back to God. Once I decided to give my life to Christ and live the way He had called me to I saw such relief from my anxiety. Now as it flares up from time to time I am grateful to have my foundation in Him. This trip will certainly challenge my faith in this regard as I do not desire to leave the country and be away from my family nor am I particularly fond of long flights over big bodies of water. But by the grace of God this go around I have Him and his word to support me as well as a wonderful group of believers (YOU!) praying protection over me. So without any more delay, here are some notes about anxiety and how to face it with God as your shield, protecting and comforting you as you face an issue that so many of us deal with!

To begin, we must think what causes anxiety in us? For many it is relationships, work, friends, family, health, tests and so many other things. For me a big source of anxiety as I previously mentioned was trying to fit in with others. At the root these things make us question our worth and often make us feel like we are trying to attack them alone. This is NOT the case! God wants so badly to be invited into these situations. Often times we feel guilty for asking for help and peace or like our situation is not “severe” enough to warrant God’s help. That is simply not true, God delights in the moments when we call on Him and invite Him to work in our lives where we fall short. This brings me to my first point. In order to conquer our anxiety we must place our trust in Him. The fact of the matter is life is hard, we aren’t meant to do it alone. The sooner we can accept that we need help from our divine creator the sooner we will dive into what He has to say about our situation rather than rely on our own strengths to get us through. 

 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

Part of trusting God is trusting in His plan for our lives. God always has a plan for our lives, if we are feeling anxious we are not trusting the plan that God has set in motion for us.We must remember how God views us and fight the urge to believe our own thoughts about who we are and what we are called to be. Many people pray and lose hope quickly thinking God has refused to answer their prayer, however it is more likely that he has not answered their prayer during their timing. Oftentimes we forget that our creator is the creator of all things and thus is quite a bit smarter than we are. 

 “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. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones” (Proverbs 3:5-8).

It is important to note that phrase lean not on your own understanding. How many of us when faced with a challenge want to shut down and simply solve the problem ourselves? I know when I face challenges I often think it is best to simply handle them on my own. When I was young and facing the pressure to fit in I chose to try to solve that problem my way. This looked like pursuing the things of this world that give us “value”. Things like a good job, perfect relationship and great sense of humor all seemed more important than follow God’s word. Although you can survive some minor earthly challenges this way when major issues arise most will crumble, UNLESS you choose to define your identity with a relationship with God and what His word says about who you are. When you are starting to feel anxious remember to trust in the Lord and to seek Him, He is far wiser and greater than we are. His plans for your life are so great that if you only knew what He was doing in the hardships, you would have the courage to withstand anything in hopes of receiving just a small piece of what He has planned for you. Just ask Joseph!! 

With all this being said here are 3 criteria for deliverance from anxiety and fear:

First, Seek God first

 “I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears” (Psalm 34:4).

It is important to note that sought is the key word in this verse. The bible says that if we seek after God he will heal us, afterall we are his children and he is a merciful God who does not want us to suffer. No negative emotion or even physical ailment comes from God. He is the source of all  things GOOD that means He despises all kinds of sickness and hurt. That also means it is not always anxiety/mental but can be physical healing too. When you are hurting and in need of support you must go get it from God. He isn’t going to randomly pop into your head to comfort you. He may present himself to you and nudge you mentally but it is up to you to chase him for peace. The second part of the sentence goes on to say “and he heard me” HEARD ME he will hear your exact request. God would never want us to feel anxious but rather have He would prefer you trust in Him through all things. If we are truly wanting to follow God’s path for us then we must know that every obstacle that we come to in life is there so that we can tackle it with God and grow closer to him. God isn’t the source of evil in the world but he is your best support system when it shows up.

Second, Acknowledge that God is the source of ALL good in your life.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, 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” (Philippians 4:6-7).

I think the key here is EVERYTHING it doesn’t say some of the time, or when you think you may need His help, no it says EVERYTHING. It also says by “petition” and with thanksgiving which literally means that you must be praying multiple times for what you want and be doing so with true joy in your heart. How can you do this if you are in a time of trial and tribulation? By trusting in the Lord and submitting your will to Him. Who are we to think that our plans for our lives are better than God’s plan for our lives? As soon as you let go of your own goals and motives God will make clear His plans and peace will come to your heart. If you are walking in the path that God wants you to be, the chances of feeling anxious are far less. Although anyone is susceptible to this tool of the devil so you must surround yourself with good company and continue to study the word.

Third,  Be rooted in scripture and firmly believe the promises He makes to you.

The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles. (Psalms 34:17) 

The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. (James 5:16)

It is difficult for folks to submit to God’s will. I know that before I gave my life to God I thought I knew more than He did about everything. Why would I need a God I can’t see? What could the Bible teach me that other books could not? The answer is EVERYTHING the Bible is a guide to all aspects of your life whether it is business, relationships, social issues or any other burdens that you may face. God sent us to this earth to manage it for Him so of course he sent us instructions along with it. As we read and learn more about what the Bible says about us, the more confident we can become with the requests we make of the Lord. God is eager to answer prayers that align with His will for your life. Knowing what the Bibles say about who you are and what you are called to be make it all the more easy to have our prayers align with His will and thus be answered. Our God is a good and gracious Father and He wants to fulfill His promises to us. When we learn the Word then we are able to go to the Lord and make requests based on the promises He has made in scripture rather than on our own emotions and desires.

To recap we must:

Seek God first. Then we must acknowledge that God is the source of ALL good in our life. And lastly be rooted in scripture and firmly believe what it says about you.