Morning Cuppas With Glenys : anxiety

Showing posts with label anxiety. Show all posts

A delightful cuppa

Troubling times bring out the best or worst in us. We are all like tea bags sitting in pretty tea cups waiting to be filled with water to make delicious tea.

We all have the tea leaf of our favourite tea in our bag. But add lukewarm water, and we sit largely untouched and of little use or pleasure to the tea maker.

By adding boiled water, we release the flavour that delights the tea maker and is pleasant to the palate.

In our trials, whatever they are, God does not sit aloof but watches with the love of a father to see how we will react. He wants us to turn to Him in our times of trouble and to trust Him.

Because of His great love for each of us personally, His eye of concern is on us and how we respond. He wants our response to be one of childlike faith. We don't have to understand everything.

It is easy for us to be confident and loving and trusting when little heat is in the water of adversity- but what happens to us when the boiling water of long and extremely harrowing trials come our way?

Do we allow the boiling waters of adversity to steep us in faith, love and trust- or do we give up on our faith and run from God, boiling but lacking tea in our bag?

I don't know anyone who isn't touched by these latest trials in the form of wars and injustices, and I don't know why God allows it and hasn't intervened. But I can say that even though we are afraid at times, that God is not idly sitting by or caught by surprise. He is calling us to Him.

He is watching our reaction, and the world is watching us. How we react to adversity is the benchmark of how much tea is in our bag. Jesus wants us to overcome fear and find our strength through Him.

We don't need much tea: in fact a mustard seed size of faith is enough to move mountains. But we must have tea or we will be useless to others and a misery to ourself because we have no peace.

Let us resolve to keep tea in our bag and to allow the boiling water of adversity to make us stronger! Let's keep close to the Teamaker and be a delight to Him as we lean on Him with the eyes of faith instead of fear.

We want to be steeping in strength through clinging to Jesus! Are you a delightful cuppa?

"The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him, Who shelters him all the day long; And he shall dwell between His shoulders." Deuteronomy 33:12

The joy of a clean home!

"To the contemporary mind, the idea that happiness depends on good housekeeping might seem quaint or odd. A century or two ago, and in fact until the past few decades, it was taken for granted, and the quality of housekeeping was not beneath the attention of such great novelists as Jane Austen and Leo Tolstoy." -Cheryl Mendelson, Home Comforts: The Art & Science of Keeping House

I think this is true in my own life anyway. When my house runs smoothly and is in order, I feel in control but when it is disorganised or dirty, I feel irritable and unhappy. It is true that most people don't notice housework until it's not done, and that in itself doesn't bolster the home keepers' spirits. However, I have learnt to focus on the end result. It helps me get through the mundane cleaning.

There is a scripture that says that without a vision the people perish and I often equate housework with this verse. Unless we visualise the finished result of a clean house, we will often neglect doing it and miss the mark completely as regards of being a good home keeper. Like it or not, good housekeeping creates happiness. If we lose sight of that, we will be people without a vision!

Funnily enough, when my house is clean and tidy, I find am less anxious and I find it easier to relax as a clean house makes me happy.

Where [there is] no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy [is] he. Proverbs 29:18

It's poppycock!

We have such a lot happening today in this world that is frightening. It's no use trying to pretend that we are not at all concerned about what's happening: we would be fools not to be concerned about it.

I won't lie and pretend that I haven't been fearful, but I make myself remember God's promises to be with us no matter what, and I can bring the fear into the captivity of Christ.

We must cling to God and His promises if we are to have any peace about world events. We have to run to Him and not from Him.

Some people feel that if a Christian is afraid that they are not truly saved. That is a lie from Hell. It is just another way that the enemy gets to us when we are down. God does not turn away from us if we feel fear. He wants us to run to Him. He's a loving Father.

In running to Him, we will be comforted and have peace and that is something the evil one does not want. Those who judge the fearful Christian by saying they are not saved because of being afraid are doing the evil one's bidding: causing defeat, misery and false guilt.

The Word says that nothing can separate us from the love of God. Jesus calls Himself the Good Shepherd.

And our Good Shepherd laid down His life to save us. He's not going to turn us away because we are afraid.

To suggest that a moment of fearfulness means we are not saved is dangerous. It denies our humanity. It presumes to judge. It spreads falsehood. It negates the work of God. It upholds the work of Satan. It seeks to nullify the Blood of Christ.

I am sure that God would approve of my judgment of this false teaching and nonsense by using one word to describe it: poppycock!

Make sure of all things, hold fast to what is fine. 1 Thessalonians 5:21

Closer than ever!

Scripture tells us that we will not know the day or hour that Jesus comes to take His Bride- the Church home with Him. We who are looking for His glorious appearing and being with Christ for eternity are longing for the Day. And so we should be.

“However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows" Matthew 24:36

Many of us are experiencing our own tribulations as the world is cast into the shadow of the great Tribulation, and we are tired of living in this sin-filled, ungodly world. We need to keep not only our eyes looking up, but our hearts.

As in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the final days before the Rapture also known in the Bible as the Harpazo and Rapturo. (Yes it is mentioned in the scriptures). We need to keep the faith, keep fighting the good fight and keep our spirits and heart in longing for our Beloved to come for us. And He is coming!

What can we be doing as we wait for Jesus to take us Home?

I believe we should be in prayer for those people suffering under authorities such as the Taliban and for all those Christians who are in danger.
We need to intercede for the Ukrainians who are being invaded as we speak.

We should be praying for those who are still unsaved.

Keeping the faith can be difficult for some, especially as the world gets darker. We need to pray for ourselves too.

How can we overcome the anxiety and depression these end days bring?

We should bring our thoughts and minds under the control of the Holy Spirit by focussing on good things that are still here

We must remember that Christ is in control, no matter how bad a situation becomes.

We must bring everything we see, hear and read in to the light of the Word and we must remember that all these things, though disturbing, are temporary.

We must maintain an attitude of gratitude for all things in our life and dwell on God's goodness.

We simply must be a person of worship and praise.

We must be in the Word.
We must remember that Jesus has promised to take us Home before the Great Tribulation. Revelation 3:10 see below

The end is in sight and we are tired. We long for Jesus to take us to be with Him. We are continuing to fight the good fight. We are running the race and our Saviour cheers us on.

We are being His faithful servants even in the end days.. whilst watching and waiting. Even so, come Lord Jesus! Maranatha! If you are not saved, get saved now. There's not much time left so get on the Ark!

The Rapture is closer than ever!

Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. Revelation 3:10

God's love is a healing balm

There are a lot of faithful Christians who suffer from panic attacks and anxiety. Although they are usually strong in the faith, when a panic attack hits, and they have a meltdown, their trial turns into a field day for false accusers and Job's Comforters.

They are often told that they are lacking in faith and to cling to the LORD, when it is chemicals in their body that is causing the problem, not lack of faith. They do nothing to help but add fuel to the fire. Telling a sufferer of a panic attack to have more faith is like telling a drowning man to swim faster. They simply can't and they struggle just to keep their head above water. To add to their woe, they then fear that they have become apostate or are backsliding. But nothing could be further from the truth.

The truly backslidden or apostate Christian will not turn to God for help therefore she has no worries of feeling unloved by God but the faithful Child of God will be afraid when she cannot break through the clutch of adrenaline that induces a feeling of impending doom (in this case, damnation) Such feelings are false, and during her life when not suffering an adrenaline rush, she knows this and relies on her Saviour.

The Bible teaches us not to be anxious, but any anxious person will tell you that it is a fact that anxiety will come for no apparent reason. My point is that Satan will use this hormone induced attack on our bodies to make us feel guilty, alienate us from feeling close to God, and cause us to be more anxious. We know it is written we shouldn't be anxious- but here we are with anxiety and guilt as our companion.

We know we should trust God but often it's not so clear cut and defined. It does us no good to be told we are sinning when it is clearly a chemistry problem which manifests itself as anxiety. In our stronger moments, we are aware of the scriptures. One who suffers from anxiety does not need to be told they are willfully sinning. We need people's understanding and compassion. It goes without saying, that we always have that from Jesus.

We tend to forget that most often sufferers of anxiety and panic have often been in the midst of the most horrendous of stresses and trials, often for years, and despite being faithful and clinging to God, they have a meltdown. Trials include all chronic illness such as fibromyalgia and disabilities.

It would behove us all to remember to be Christ-like to these suffering Children of God and comfort them, pray for them and encourage them. Those of us who suffer like this are prime candidates for panic attacks and meltdowns. We should do unto others as we would have them do unto us: pray for them, help them back on their feet and never judge them. Anxiety and panic are no respecter of people: but by the Grace of God, go I.

Mercy. Grace. Compassion. Love. Prayer. All are healing balms for the poor one having a meltdown. We need to tell them there is hope and there is healing and that nothing can separate us from God's love.

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39

To trust Him

Nasa doesn't know what this is! God has not let His Children wonder and worry what all this means- Nasa may not know, but we do!

It seems like prophecy is being fulfilled in even the moon... and they don't know why it's rusting and turning red. But we do. God has said it and He is doing it. Just another prophecy happening in front of our eyes!

And I saw when he opened the sixth seal, and lo, a great earthquake came, and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood, Rev 6:12

The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. Matthew 24:29

“The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord,” – Joel 2:31;

It amazes me how God reveals the signs to His children are to look for centuries in advance... that He wants us to know His plan beforehand...and to trust Him.

Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.- John 15:15

"There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress among the nations, bewildered by the roaring of the sea and the surging of the waves." - Luke 21:25.

When your home is a prison

Years ago I suffered from a dreadful condition where leaving my home was a cause for panic and anxiety. It's name is agoraphobia. I overcame it, but it has reared its' ugly head once more.

With the Corona Virus instilling in us a fear of being too near people, being diligent with hand washing etc in order to stay safe, and staying at home because of Rona, I have found it has exacerbated my agoraphobic tendencies.

I get clammy going into a supermarket or even going to the Post Office. Some days I have to force myself to leave the house and I will get Chris to handle things for me if possible.

Living in the fifth wheeler for six months and ending up housebound because of my torn menisci didn't help me either. It took a lot of effort to get out of the staying at home habit when we first resumed renting. But I won, and by beating it then, I know I can do it again.

When we are asked to stay home, it does not present any great problem to me. In fact, the only problem with this whole virus thing is that I can't see my family. But that won't last forever. They will be able to come to me.

My agoraphobia will not last forever: with prayer and forcing myself to gradually leave the house for longer periods, I will overcome it. But it takes a lot of prayer and determination. But with time it can be done.

Agoraphobia must be tamed in order to have quality of life, for if given into, it will turn your home into a prison.

"The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him, Who shelters him all the day long; And he shall dwell between His shoulders." Deuteronomy 33:12

God has broad shoulders

With all that is happening in the world today, even the strongest of Christians are feeling some fear. Disease, corrupt politics, change, unknown unchartered waters- all contribute to an underlying anxiety in most of us, if we are honest.

Some of us pray yet even so, fear remains and we feel hopeless and helpless. We cannot plan much in advance: everything is so uncertain.

We have been buffeted about by the secular powers that be: herded into our home, our children denied school attendance, jobs either lost or in doubt, and threats of punishment for those who do not comply.

There is hardly a person alive today who hasn't been touched by Covid rules or who doesn't know of someone who has been physically touched by it. It seems that the whole world is swamped with it.

Justice and righteousness have been thrown aside, except for those with enough courage or opportunity to stand against evil people intent on bringing down democracy and freedom.

At times this seems surreal, with no end in sight and we are feeling depressed and helpless. We see everyone masked, and we wonder once again- is this for real and how long will it last. We are feeling bombed out and on the verge of despair.

With social distancing, and lock downs, even not being able to see people's faces because of face masks, we are feeling isolated and lonely.

When feeling like this, it is important that we withdraw and run into Jesus's Arms. We need to pray and confess our fear, read or listen to the Word and worship God. Worship lifts us up.

We need to run to Jesus for is a good Father. He says He is a strong tower and we are safe when we run to Him.

Do not leave His Presence without feeling His incredible Peace which passes all human understanding. We need this Love, this assurance, this peace.

Until you feel refreshed and assured and strong again, don't leave. No matter how many times a day or night we come to Him. God welcomes us with open Arms.

Remember you are His Child and that He is with us until He comes for us, then for eternity.

God is not a man that He would tire of His children's need of comfort and peace and renewal of faith. Come to Him. As often as needed. God has broad shoulders.

Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ Isaiah 41:10

You may be stronger than you think

Do you consider yourself a scaredy cat? It is normal to feel fear, but if you face that fear- even with trembling legs, you are courageous.

Strength comes from courage and both come from the LORD! Ask for strength and be strong in the LORD!

You may be stronger than you think!

"The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him, Who shelters him all the day long; And he shall dwell between His shoulders." Deuteronomy 33:12

Whatsoever things

As I got older, I became morose and sad. My good years were behind me. Chronic illness overtook my and I resented it so much. It turned inward and made me sink into a depression.

I overcame this by deciding to accept my limitations and to love myself enough to rest, eat well and be grateful for the very fact that I was still alive.

I didn't want to stay in the Pit of Despair, so I gave all my anger and sadness to the LORD. I decided to look at whatsoever things were lovely, and to count my blessings..

This helped me recover spiritually and emotionally. I didn't realise how much my self talk and negativity had brought me down.

If you want to fly, you have to release your burdens so they don't weigh you down, so tell the LORD about it, for it is He Who will release you and help you fly.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Philippians 4:8

Nostalgia and regrets

As a great-grandmother, I know the depth of nostalgia and regrets' bite. My mothering days are gone and I regret the many times I was not there for my children due to prolonged hospitalisation due to spinal problems.

Some regrets come from being so busy with the running of the home that I didn't have time to play much with my children.

I think it's so easy to overlook people in our busyness in this fast world. Even our husbands, and particularly our babies.

The time flies and the infant in the crib is suddenly a young adult and driving. Or having babies of their own.

If we don't stop to smell the roses along life's path, or take the time to actually enjoy the people in our life, then when we finally come to a stop, we will have nothing but regrets.

Pictures of those days are lovely, but they do not replace the living in those days. In fact, if the memories aren't there, those pictures can make the nostalgia worse.

Have no regrets in the future by enjoying those around you and try not to allow the vissitudes of life to rob you of quality time with those you love.

Jesus said that each day brings its own worries and that worrying or fussing won't change much.

Love your family now. Nostalgia is very real with regrets coming a close second...

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Lord, I want to die!

I suffer from depression and anxiety and it certainly is real. I pray a lot and depend on God a lot.

It has been my experience that God is there during the panic attack, even when I dont feel Him.

When He calms the storm of my out of control emotions-and hormones, I can see that He never left me.

In fact, He carried me across the turbulent sea and deposited me on dry land.

He is our hope when we feel we have none.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. Psalm 23

Guard your thoughts

We are always self talking.. and what we entertain in our head shapes us and becomes actions. So it's crucial that we learn to recognise God's Voice as opposed to Satan's Voice.

I wish I knew God earlier than I did in my life because for the first 3 decades of my life, I was buffeted about by listening to the devil's voice.

Knowing now that God loves me and constantly is with me and wants me to live a peaceful life, I realise that I wasted so many years in misery, doubt and self-hatred.

As it says in the meme, God is a God of love and order. If the voice you are hearing doesn't sound like the encouragement from God, then they are not from Him.

Remember, God loves you. He is for you. He will guide you. He has your back. Hear a verse that gave me hope over a very sad chapter of my life. " For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11

Guard your thoughts as they will direct your life. © Glenys Robyn Hicks

For such a time as this!

In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried out to my God...

The Lord is close to everyone who calls out to him, to all who call out to him sincerely. The Lord will rescue me from every evil action and will save me for his heavenly kingdom. Whenever I’m afraid, I put my trust in you — in God, whose word I praise.
I trust in God; I won’t be afraid. What can mere flesh do to me? God is indeed my salvation; I will trust and won't be afraid. It’s far better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust any human. And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever.
God didn't give us a spirit that is timid but one that is powerful, loving, and self-controlled. Throw all your anxiety onto him, because he cares about you. This is why we can confidently say, The Lord is my helper, and I won’t be afraid. What can people do to me?

Those who know your name trust you because you have not abandoned any who seek you, Lord. In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul...

He heard my voice from His temple and my cry came before Him even to His ears

"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you.

I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also"

"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."

"Don't fear, because I am with you; don't be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will surely help you; I will hold you with my righteous strong hand"

“Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world to test those who dwell on the earth."

The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him. Psalm 28:7

A compilation of scriptures for such a time as this by Glenys

Keep the faith!

There's no doubt that the world is a scary place at the moment. Political chaos, pestilence and poverty catches us in a deathly vice that can leave us depressed and frazzled.

It is easy to become depressed with all that is happening at the moment and therefore it is vitally important that we stay close to the LORD.

As I wrote in a previous post, nothing is out of control with God. We may feel that our life is out of control, but our Heavenly Father has us securely in His Hand.

I love the picture of the wise virgins with their lamps trimmed with oil. They knew they were ready to meet the bridegroom. There is no fear where there is faith! Perfect love casts out fear!

We need to read the scriptures on faith and live it. There's really nothing to fear when we are the LORD'S. For thus says the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel: “ In returning and rest you shall be saved; In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.” Isaiah 30:15

Those of us who believe the promises of God have to dwell on them and allow them to overcome our fear, knowing that nothing takes Him by surprise or has the power to snatch us from His Hand.

His loving Eye of concern is on us constantly and the very hairs on our head are numbered. We are His beloved Bride and He is coming to take us unto Himself soon.

Let us then focus on living our life well, with joy serving Christ and our family and community. Let us renounce fear and depression and dwell on what blessings we have already.

Let us be consistent in love, self-control and joy, knowing that this present confusion will soon pass.

Be prayerful and praise God Who is in control of everything.

Let us lift up our hearts, our spirits and our heads because our redemption is nigh according to all the signs Jesus told us to look for.

Pray without ceasing and give thanks in all things.

Among the confusion of the world, set yourself apart and look up.

Be cheerful and know the LORD is at the door.

Above all else, don't give up- keep the faith!

We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; 2 Corinthians 4:8-9

God still owns tomorrow

We are living in a time of global tribulation. Pestilence in the form of the Covid is frightening most of the world and those who aren't taking it seriously are fools. It is a time to sit and ask yourself where your faith lies.

Certainly we can have faith in doctors and nurses who risk their own lives to save those who succumb to this virus. But they cannot save everyone.

We can have faith in the governments of the world who try to contain it. But even so, it is proving difficult to trust them.

We need to take on board that God has us all in His Hand. All we can do is comply with what the authorities are telling us to do and trust that God will allow the virus to dissipate quickly with minimum loss of life.

We can only take on the problems of today... and we can only overcome by acknowledging that God is in control, even when it seems that He is not. He is never taken by surprise.

Jesus told us that we would have tribulation in the world and that sufficient unto the day are the problems of the day. We can't take on more than what we are doing in the present and we can't wish away our life, enduring it and not enjoying it.

We must trust in Him Who bore the sins of the world upon His shoulders. Only His shoulders are broad enough for taking on eternity. We must relinquish our anxieties and trust in Him. He will keep us in safety and carry us through this troubling time.

Our shoulders can't take on more than the worries of today. Only His shoulders can carry us through and we must remember that God still owns tomorrow.

"The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him, Who shelters him all the day long; And he shall dwell between His shoulders." Deuteronomy 33:12

You can rely on His Word

“However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows" Matthew 24:36

What can we be doing as we wait for Jesus to take us Home?

I believe we should be in prayer for those people suffering under authorities such as the Taliban and for all those Christians who are in danger.
We need to intercede for the Ukrainians who are being invaded as we speak.

We should be praying for those who are still unsaved.

Keeping the faith can be difficult for some, especially as the world gets darker. We need to pray for ourselves too.

How can we overcome the anxiety and depression these end days bring?

We should bring our thoughts and minds under the control of the Holy Spirit by focussing on good things that are still here

We must remember that Christ is in control, no matter how bad a situation becomes.

We must bring everything we see, hear and read in to the light of the Word and we must remember that all these things, though disturbing, are temporary.

We must maintain an attitude of gratitude for all things in our life and dwell on God's goodness.

We simply must be a person of worship and praise.

We must be in the Word.
We must remember that Jesus has promised to take us Home before the Great Tribulation.

Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth- Revelation 3:10

The end is in sight and we are tired. We long for Jesus to take us to be with Him. We are continuing to fight the good fight. We are running the race and our Saviour cheers us on.

We are being His faithful servants even in the end days.. whilst watching and waiting. Even so, come Lord Jesus! Maranatha!

Those who don't know Jesus yet....There's not much time left, my friends. Get on the Ark and get saved now.

He is coming- and soon. Accept Christ now! God is fulfilling all things and it must come to pass. You can rely on His Word.