Putting God to the Test
April 19, 2024
Gratitude cures the anxious heart
November 23, 2018
…and He took the seven loaves and the fish; and giving thanks, He broke them and started giving them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people … Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. - MATTHEW 15:36; PHILIPPIANS 4:6
How many people will dine on your turkey this Thanksgiving? Imagine 5,000 growling stomachs waiting for lunch! That sparks enough anxiety to crack Gibraltar, yet Jesus faced such a challenge with calm serenity. The key was in “giving thanks.” Jesus was anxious for nothing because gratitude was the continual condition of His heart.
Anxiety-free living is not hovering in space, detached from everyday issues, but living in the midst of the furor without worry, or a persisting anticipation of disaster. Giving thanks before you distribute seven loaves and a few throw-back fish is an act of faith.
Jesus’ heart was “thankful” because it was “thinkful.” He meditated on God sufficiency before He dealt with the people’s insufficiency. His heart focused on the Father’s faithfulness in the face of the mob’s fearfulness. Gratitude kept anxiety away from Jesus, and it will cure yours as well.
TODAY’S FOCUS
Don’t let the Holidays drive up your anxiety, but take time to meditate on God faithfulness.
