Do you ever catch yourself anxious? Afraid? Trying to please everyone? Trying to do everything you can to hold your world together so that you can feel secure?
Lately, the Lord seems to be giving me some insights about how I react in life, which I think He wants to help me with.
To Do List Stress…
Do you ever get stressed out by your to do list? Ever struggle when you feel like you just can’t keep on top of everything?
I’ve been catching myself anxious and panicked when my to do list feels impossible. Getting upset when I can’t keep up (and we’re getting into the busy end of the year!). Overreacting when I feel like I can’t hold everything together. And He’s showing me that it doesn’t have to be that way.
And I believe that the answer is knowing that I am loved. Knowing that I am secure because I am belong to God through Christ: forgiven, accepted and loved (and you can belong to Him too).
I believe that belonging to Him through Jesus changes everything.
So here are some thoughts about some of the implications of that:
Secure in Christ…
Knowing I am secure in Christ means I don’t need to perform perfectly. Sure, I want to please Him because I love Him, but I can know that I am already loved because of Jesus.
Knowing I am loved in Christ means I don’t need to live in fear of things being out of control. I don’t need to hold the world together because He is doing that and, even when things feel messy or crazy, it’s ultimately ok for those who belong to Him, because He’s got it.
Knowing I am loved in Christ means I don’t need to be ruled by anxiety. His perfect love brings comfort, promises and peace into the unknown.
Knowing I am loved in Christ means I don’t need to scan the future in fear, trying to anticipate all the things that could go wrong and worrying about how I would cope if they do. He has already gone ahead of me.
Knowing that He already accepts me in Jesus means that I don’t need to worry when others reject me, disapprove or misunderstand. My identity is found in Him, and not in what others say or think.
Knowing I am loved in Christ means I am never alone, no matter what is going on and whatever I am facing. And I never will be.
Soaking in the Truth…
As I think about His love, meditate on it and soak in His Word, I think my heart reactions will start to change more and more as the truth breaks through. And maybe I can find ways of regularly reminding myself.
I don’t need to panic when my to do list doesn’t get done. When I have a bad day. When others disapprove. Or so many other things.
Belonging to the Father through Christ changes everything.
Are there ways that knowing God’s love could help you to face things you struggle with?
More Encouragement…
You can get a free ebook of encouragement For The Girl Who Longs to Know She is Loved here.
If you want to find out more about how these things can be true of you, too, you can find out more here.
God bless you today!
Caroline Abblitt 