Another jewel of an excerpt from Spurgeon this morning:
The precept to avoid anxious care is earnestly inculcated by our Saviour, again and again; it is reiterated by the apostles; and it is one which cannot be neglected without involving transgression: for the very essence of anxious care is the imagining that we are wiser than God, and the thrusting ourselves into His place to do for Him that which He has undertaken to do for us. We attempt to think of that which we fancy He will forget; we labour to take upon ourselves our weary burden, as if He were unable or unwilling to take it for us. Now this is disobedience to His plain precept, this unbelief in His Word, this presumption in intruding upon His province, is all sinful…Anxiety makes us doubt God’s lovingkindess, and thus our love to Him grows cold; we feel mistrust, and thus grieve the Spirit of God, so that our prayers become hindered, our consistent example marred, and our life one of selfseeking. Thus want of confidence in God leads us to wander far from Him; but if through simple faith in His promise, we cast each burden as it comes upon Him, and are “careful for nothing” because He undertakes to care for us, it will keep us close to Him, and strengthen us against much temptation. “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in Thee.”
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“…the very essence of anxious care is the imagining that we are wiser than God, and the thrusting ourselves into His place to do for Him that which He has undertaken to do for us.”
I’ve thought about the connection between anxiety and unbelief. And I’ve thought about the connection between anger and unbelief. But I’ve never before thought about the connection between anxiety and anger, but the bit I’ve quoted is an apt description of the sort of anger I’m prone to. Seeing anger as care is one more useful tool in fighting it: “Oh…it isn’t my job to fuss about [insert petty irritation or not so-petty-offense here]. You take it.” Now if I can manage to figure out how to fling the cared/angered-about thing at Him, and not the care/anger itself, that’d be a marvel. As with most such things, it’s the practical doing that’s often a mystery to me.
Thank you for this post. I appreciate how Mr. Spurgeon cuts through mess to truth. Actually this post is very timely and a great reminder.
I seriously considered posting this myself this morning 🙂 It was timely for me as well. Nice to be reminded of these things in the morning and the afternoon.
It’s always the things which seem so simple to obey that keep us humble, and reminds us to rely ONLY in the Triune God! Thanks for posting 🙂
Nancy, what is this from? Thank you. Very timely for me today was your husband’s sermon on idolatry–finding identity in family, work, hobbies or anything created is idolatry and I realized I had been in the grip of it last night. What a blessing to repent this morning after hearing that.
Here ’tis, Barb.
Thank you for posting this, Nancy. It doesn’t just convict me – it comforts me. What will He not do for us?
So good… thanks Nancy. 🙂
I’ve heard lately that many of my friends in their 30″s and 40’s are taking anxiety medication. They rave of its effects because they can now hear the truths they tell themselves about the love of God. I am not addressing medication so much as I am addressing what we as parents, especially moms, allow our children to worry about. Typically children do not worry but can be anxious and fret over petty things. We brush it off thinking that it is petty and that they will get over it. How many of my friends have grown up not knowing how to handle their anxious thoughts such that when they become adults the anxious thoughts take over. I won’t give up on me but I will strive to make sure my children learn how to think and to deal with their concerns early in life. It is all in the foundation we lay for our children in their life learning to glorify God.
I recently took a trip to Ireland and Panic attacks overcame me and made me sick…
Was I far from God? No Was I disobedient or sinful? No Did I wander far from him? No, it actually had me calling on him and had my husband praying.
I am fifty and I take a anti-depressant. Why? Chemical imbalance as it runs in our family. Did I get anti-anxiety Rx when I came home after cutting my vacation short? Yes I did. It is in my purse and my Dr. said only take when needed and so I haven’t, yet.
Anxiety and PA are real. I don’t see them as always a sinful act of disobedience. If you visit my blog, I wrote a piece on how I felt and as long as you never have had these it is very hard to say how you would handle them. I hate it, and have been working on them with prayer and prayers from my lady friends! But I can still Glorify God and thank Him in these trials! I could use prayer on just living through them… macspj.blogspot.com