2011 - A year of giving up - "On the High Road of Surrender" - Day 21 - Anxiety

Why be anxious? Really....Why? Is it really the same choice to respond with worry or doubt to a storm as it is to respond with peace, faith and calmness. As I see it, in my strength, it may be my response but I choose to try to do it myself. The peace and calmness and erasing of worry must come in my surrender, so God does it, not I. Run the "I" test through your response; if you are saying things like why can't I handle this, or why does this always happen to me, or I don't know what to do, or I asked, or I tried. Look for the you, I, or me in your statement. God is the only one who can. I am encouraged by a verse I read the other day... where the man said to Jesus, " I believe, help me with my unbelief." The help with everything, most importantly what we can't do, must come from He not I. 

from Heartlight Morning Devotional -

VERSE:

   He [Jesus] said to them, "It is I; don't be afraid." Then they
were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat
reached the shore where they were heading.
    -- John 6:20-21
  

THOUGHT:
   Jesus comes to his disciples to comfort them in one of their
worst nightmares -- a storm on the sea. He literally tells them, "I
Am; do not be afraid." Two key things are here for us to notice:
First, Jesus uses a name ("I Am") that identifies himself with God
who delivered Moses and the Israelites from Egypt. Second, he uses
a surprisingly frequent command found throughout the Bible: "Don't
be afraid." When we are willing to invite Jesus into our lives
during the middle of our storms and messes, he not only says, "I
Am; don't be afraid!" but he also helps us find our way to our most
important destination, ultimate deliverance.

taken from "On the High Road to Surrender"

My child, when you are tired, do not be disheartened. Most of your discouragement comes when you try to carry your own burden., forgetting to call upon Me for help. Give Me everything, and quickly; for as soon as any heaviness of spirit sets in, trust is crowded out. An atmosphere of anxiety or unhappiness is withering to faith. 

Continual prayer will fortify your soul.