Anxiety or Peace?

"I have trained myself not to feel emotions," he said. I responded by asking,"What are you afraid of?" Emotions are a natural instinctive state of mind responding to circumstances, mood or relationships with others. Anxiety or fear is a common emotion that is experienced when we are not in control of the circumstances of our life.

I have found in my life that the pathway that leads me to experience inexplicable peace and intense joy is a pathway that without God would lead me to paralyzing fear. Often in life I have come face to face with my utter vulnerability. How I respond determines the path I take.

How can circumstances that cause my knees to buckle in fear ultimately bring me to a place of inexplicable peace and intense joy? It is because these are also the same places that I am invited to bend my knees in humility and call on a God who has promised to answer me and show me great and wondrous things that I do not know.

I find as I walk through life that I am often humbled by my vulnerability. To be honest my natural inclination is to be anxious. But I am learning  that the very thing that causes me to be anxious can lead me to an intimate encounter with God. This happens when I choose to humble my heart and bend my knees and listen to the voice of the Spirit. When I do this, this is what I hear; "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let you gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Don't be anxious about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:4-7)

Lord Jesus, thank You for bringing me to places where I encounter the truth. I am not the god of my circumstances but You are. Thank You for giving me access to You through prayer. And thank You for giving me emotions so that I can experience peace that passes understanding and joy that is a foretaste of eternity!