His words to us cluster around two themes: your God is very near, and he gives the grace and power you need for today. The aim of this book is to help us become more skillful in how we identify our fears and anxieties, hear God's good words, and grow. You could say that our goal is wisdom. Wisdom is another name for skill in living.
If there is a rap against wisdom, it is that wisdom takes time. Anxieties, of course, prefer relief now. But what wisdom can do is set out a path that leaves you a little different with each step. Over time you notice the changes A little farther down the road and others notice. As you walk, you will learn much about the paradox of strength in weakness, and you will feel more fully human and alive. The rhythm of your journey is simple; God speaks and you listen.
You put your fears into words - he will help you if you don't even know where to begin. He takes your fears and anxieties to heart without ever minimizing them. Then he speaks. You "treasure" what he says (Proverbs 2:1). You think about it, act on it, and talk about it. And the conversation continues. When you feel lost, you speak to the Lord. He listens to you. When you are stuck, you "call out for insight" (Proverbs 2:3). He answers you.
Through it all is closeness to a person. That makes this path different from all others. God never intended us to bear the overwhelming burdens of life by ourselves. Instead, he gives himself - just the right person to bear them with us. "The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything. (Phil. 4:5-6)
Whenever God speaks to you about your fears, you can be sure he will say something about being close. He even patiently persuades you that he is close. He piles up the evidence. Still, you can be blind to that evidence when fears are close and anxieties ring loud. The process of letting anxieties go takes practice that engages with God himself - which means you will engage with Jesus."
Candy's thoughts: Here is another new book I recommend! While I have only begun to read it, I have already learned that it is GOOD. That being said, I was immediately tested big time, even today as I write this. (Think an overflowing septic system and our beautiful newly-renovated bathroom having to be renovated again - long story.) UGH but YAY? If stress and fears bring us closer to God, then so be it. God is "piling up the evidence" of his faithfulness. 👍
Once again Candy, a BIG THANKS for recommending yet another book that will surely help us along this path of life. I read the copy you sent over of the daily devotional in Edwards book which was on identifying what is fear, what is anxiety, what is a panic (anxiety) attack, and what is stress, how do we recognize and identify each of these so we can put words to them to help us sort out the correct way to overcome them. (I hope that made sense?) This helped me already because Edward does a great job of giving a definition that will clearly help us identify which one we are experiencing and to my surprise it did help. I could never tell which one I was caught up in but for example he talks about "fear" as something we can see, feel, or know to be true that is concerning or alarming, while anxiety is something that we may perceive might happen, something from old that rises up in us, etc., the key to his definition is that its unidentifiable, we can't put our finger on what's causing us to feel anxious so we can't really put any words to it. Now at least I determine which I am dealing with so this tool has helped me greatly in the past week.
ReplyDeleteMy other comment is on what Edwards calls "the piles of evidence". As Candy was faced with this very situation the day she was writing the blog, I too, have been faced this past week with a very trying trial. When I took my concerns to the Lord He reminded me that we had already been in this situation previously (the rut), He brought to mind that I had written in my journal about it. So I went to the closet where I keep the old ones and there were about 15, I was like "Lord how am I going to know which journal its in?" Our amazing God put my hand right on the one I needed and not only that He brought me right to the pages. I noticed my entry date was back in August of 2006 so it was in about the middle of my pile of journals, only God could have gotten me there so quickly! As I read it there was my "pile of evidence." He reminded me how BIG He is, and that we already took care of the problem back then, its just going to take more patience and time for the results which, like God not allowing Moses to go into the promise land that he had spent 40 years of his life bringing God's people to, I also may not see the result while I'm here on this earth but Jesus promised me He will take care of it. Enough said!!!! Debbi
An amazing story as usual, Debbi!
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