Originally written May 2021
The last few weeks have been pretty busy for me as I’ve been teaching a class at the local Bible College on theology. While very enjoyable, this is exhausting work mentally, so I went to visit some friends and relax Saturday.
Around 6:00 I was ready to go home and reached into my pocket for my car Key, only to find it wasn’t there. After checking my bags more than once, checking the road to see if it slipped out, and looking through the grass beside my car, I was becoming nervous. A visit with a high-powered flashlight later simply heightened my anxiety.
anxiety is one of the most powerful sins in the arsenal of Satan. It’s power comes from the fact that it feeds off our desire to fix problems. When faced with a problem that we cannot fix, like finding a lost car key, the anxiety gets stronger. This of course creates a cycle of trying harder to fix the problem, and our anxiety becoming even greater when we fail.
Because Satan wants us to respond to anxiety by working harder, we must develop a better response……
Just do your job.
I have learned that the majority of anxiety in my life comes because I am trying to do Gods job. The moment I trust in Him, He steps in and works things out.
Many years ago I heard a sermon where Proverbs 3:6 fn was described as having man’s job, and God’s job, and between those jobs is a large wall. On one side of a wall was mans job, to give God first place in their lives. On the other side of a wall is Gods job, He will work things out. The preacher explained anxiety comes as I get on Gods side of the wall.
Anxiety in this way is actually a blessing because God through it is often saying to us “hey, you are on my side of the wall!” Its also a call to do what we can in the situation, and trust the Lord to do His job.
I did have a peace in my heart Saturday knowing the Lord orchestrates and plans everything that comes into life. If it was the will of God for me to get a locksmith to break into my car and have a new key made, so be it.
Sunday morning while reading my Bible and drinking some coffee my phone rang. It was a church member who asked, “did you lose your keys?” Ten minutes later I was driving my car home!
A man in the area had found my key in the road, and understandably put it on a nearby wall so that nobody would take it. He didn’t realise at the moment it was mine, but once he did had it delivered to the church member who lived nearby.
The thing about anxiety is it never really goes away. We will never apart from heaven ever have a life without worry or concern. But even those anxious moments bring glory to God as we get on our side of wall, and let Him do His job.
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