Devotions

I’m in the middle of Anxiety and Pride

The Apostle Peter on behalf of the Lord gave an awesome invitation to each of us.  He wrote…..

• “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may life you up, casting all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

Now here’s the dealio – In your bible and in mine what happens in verse seven is predicated on verse six.  And the problem for some of us is we’ve been trying to cast our anxiety but keep our pride.  But the thing about it is you need to know that the pride and the anxiety come in the same package.  So if you insist on doing it your way then expect the weight of the world on your shoulders because it is.  Anxiety is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do but gets you nowhere. This is why we spell the word anxiety the way we do….

• A N X I E T Y

What is at the center of anxiety – it is I.  Spiritually speaking at the center of your anxiety is your pride.  Often the reason that you are so anxious is because you have you at the center of your kingdom and the reason you can’t sustain it is because it’s not your throne.  We say things like I don’t know if I have what it takes – I don’t’ know if I can do it – I don’t know if I can make it – If I, If I, If I, you can’t spell anxiety without I right in the middle but here’s another word you can’t spell without I in the middle.

• P R I D E

You see it’s not a command to cast all your anxiety on him – it’s a result.  The command is to humble yourself under God’s mighty hand and when you do the anxiety goes with the pride.  If you get yourself out of the center and put God on the throne of your life – and lift your hands to him and say Lord I need you – I can’t step without you, I can’t breathe without you, I can’t pray without you, I can’t parent without you, I can’t preach without you, I can’t know peace without you, I can’t have joy without you – here’s what Peter is teaching.

• Pride is the Root – Anxiety is the Fruit