Nothing new here in terms of the adoption, we reached 11 weeks yesterday, but many new things God continues to do in our hearts as we wait for our little one. I recently watched a session from John Piper's Battling Unbelief DVD that was really good. It was on battling anxiety. The DVD basically has him teaching through the book he wrote in a seminar type format. He shared two verses that have recently become my battle cry when I am tempted to anxiety.
Matthew 6:25-34
Do Not Be Anxious
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
And the next Lamentations 3:22-23
22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;23 they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness
Piper linked these two verses together in saying that each day his it's own struggles and trials and temptation to anxiety but God has provided the perfect amount of mercy to sustain us. He talked about faith in future grace. That God will sustain us in the future with new mercies but that mercy hasn't yet been given. God has sifted my trials and coupled them with a divine amount of help and grace to sustain me and help me trust him. I don't have to have the grace for every possible situation in the future, he will give it when I'm there. It only creates more anxiety when I dwell too much on future possiblities. I have to trust him today and rest in knowing he has given me new mercies with which to worship him and not be anxious.
Matthew 6:25-34
Do Not Be Anxious
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
And the next Lamentations 3:22-23
22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;23 they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness
Piper linked these two verses together in saying that each day his it's own struggles and trials and temptation to anxiety but God has provided the perfect amount of mercy to sustain us. He talked about faith in future grace. That God will sustain us in the future with new mercies but that mercy hasn't yet been given. God has sifted my trials and coupled them with a divine amount of help and grace to sustain me and help me trust him. I don't have to have the grace for every possible situation in the future, he will give it when I'm there. It only creates more anxiety when I dwell too much on future possiblities. I have to trust him today and rest in knowing he has given me new mercies with which to worship him and not be anxious.
4 comments:
Isn't it amazing that in a book like Lamentations, while Jeremiah is lamenting the state of the people of Judah and their complete and total wickedness that God is still protrayed in such a light? Very, very encouraging when you consider the situation that Jeremiah was in! I have gotten several of his unbelief sermons on cd and have listened to a couple in the car! They are great! Don't worry about last night, it was actually good that you didn't call! Except I am very mad at you for spending time with your husband! You wicked, wicked girl! How dare you??!!
Great post. Lamentations 3:22-23 is one of my favorite scripture sections.
Interesting post.
Nikki
http://www.cafepress.com/heroholiday08
Hey Miranda... we haven't talked in a while.. How are you. That is so great about the grant from Steven Curtis Chapman.
I dig John Piper. I will have to check that out.
We too are still waiting.
Our plates are full so that keeps us busy while we wait.
can't wait to hear of your referral.
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