Anxiety and a Good Word

 "Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, but a good word makes it glad." Proverbs 12:25

One night as I rushed my kids off to bed past their usual bedtime, I sat immobile in my recliner. My husband was out of town, we had multiple late nights, plus navigating a one car situation.  I look around. I see the kitchen table decorated with chunky crumbs, puddles of liquid, and unknown sticky substances.  Shoes, papers, stencils, library books all spewed in the living room in random places. I turn to the kitchen and see dishes piled up so high you can barely see over it. The stove caked with oatmeal breakfast, half empty pots of beans, counter tops overlaid with everything you can think of. The week had been crazy and my house reflected that.  I still had non cleaning tasks to attend to. Anxiety was not just creeping in, it was suffocating me.  I had to face a late night of cleaning after an unexpected wild week. Life at that moment felt out of control.  I desperately needed something outside myself to pull it together. 

I said a little prayer and somehow forced myself to walk to the bedroom and read in my favorite Bible promise book. It's already earmarked to a well read section, titled :"Jesus Is Your: Sufficiency" I needed him to be my sufficiency in that moment. I read through it once. And slowly, the tension subsided. I now had truthful words in my mind  that dispelled the anxiety. I was free. I was released. Well, just enough to get back up and tackle the house.

The good word got me out of funk just enough to do what I needed to do. It sent me on a trajectory where I was not fully overcome by the piercing anxiety. Later on, I experienced the same motionless anxiety, but I prayed and gently encouraged myself with good words. It didn't dissipate as quickly, but at least I knew the words would get me through. 

Hide the word in your heart, call upon it in times of trouble, trust God will see you through. It may be immediate or it may take some time. Regardless of how you feel, allow God to open your eyes to see the many promises He has in store for you. Walk in it and be blessed.