The Medicine Cabinet: Turn It Off — Thursday
Philippians 4:6-7a
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace… (NLT)
About 8 years ago, my daughter was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease. It was sudden, potentially debilitating, and completely unexpected. What followed was weeks of testing, waiting, doctor visits, and lots and lots of anxiety. Thankfully, as quickly as it came, it went away. But for me, this triggered a long-term battle with anxiety. And although her autoimmune disease went away after a few months, my anxiety did not.
God never promised me my anxiety would go away, but He has provided a path through it. However, my temptation in seasons of increased anxiety is to withdraw into my phone or my TV instead. What I want to do is distract myself with funny cat videos or the newest show on Netflix, but research (and my own personal experience) has shown that increased screen time only serves to increase my anxiety over the long run.
God provides a different path. He gently reminds us that an anxious heart cannot coexist with a thankful heart. When we focus on the gifts and blessings God has given us, we cannot also be worried about what is to come. When we spend time giving thanks to the God who created spring and ice cream and rainbows and flowers, how can we be anxious about what He is able to do in our lives? When we focus on the incredible love God has for us—the God who sacrificed His only Son for us—how can we doubt that He has our best interest in mind?
Anxiety will always be a temptation—the question is, how will we respond? Will we give in to the temporary numbness that our phones will bring? Or will we turn to our Father and, with prayer and thanksgiving, ask for the peace that only He can bring?
Thursday’s Reflection
Take some time today to just be thankful. Spend the day intentionally looking for things you can thank God for, and tell Him “thank you” for each one.