Fully Armored

"Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid"- John 14:27 (NIV).

Our great-niece says she was anxious throughout her pregnancy and, now that her daughter has been born, she has a whole new set of worries. She says one worry stops and another worry replaces it. You and I both know God doesn't want us to worry. There are so many Scriptures about anxiety and worry. Believers know the solution: Trust God. When a person learns to trust God they experience peace; and peace is freeing. Surrendering all our concerns, releasing them into His arms, is the key. One woman spoke of writing down all her anxious thoughts on a piece of paper, then she got down on her knees and prayed each one into God's hands; then she ceremonially burned the paper. Writing them down was clever, but prayer was the foundation of her being able to release them. If you remember, Jesus prayed three times asking God to take the cup from Him. Many think Jesus was asking God to keep Him from the cross, so He wouldn't have to suffer. Maybe Jesus was asking His Father to remove His anxiety. We will all have times of extreme circumstances, but it's how we handle them that sets us apart from nonbelievers. I pray the Father removes my anxieties and gives me the peace and freedom that follows. Then, like a fully armored warrior, I'm ready to face whatever held me fearful.