“Do not seek what you should eat or drink, nor have an anxious mind. For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. But seek first the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you.” –Luke 12:29-31

The battle began the moment I opened my eyes. Morning after morning, feelings of dread and anxiety invaded my mind. The daily uncertainty of the health of our nation, economy, and our future is enough to produce anxiety in everyone in this season; After all, not only do we have our daily worries that come to steal our peace, we are also in the midst of a pandemic.

Anxiety. Fear. Worry. Dread. When we look around at the world it's clear that people are experiencing anxiousness for many reasons; And if we are honest, I believe we have good reason. Not only are we are trying to figure out the next steps for our day-to-day, we are also having to plan for provision, all while being bombarded with the fear of the unknown.

Friends, I am right there with you when I say that I have battled fear and anxiety with this pandemic. If nothing else, all of the unknowns can be quite the burden when someone loves to plan like I do!

Despite the fact that I truly do believe that we have a reason to "feel" emotions such as fear, anxiety, and even sorrow; I also know better than to let those emotions stick around long term.

I think that most of us know deep down that fear is a liar; But in this season of a pandemic, (in addition to the every day life pressures), fears response can seem so loud that we can feel powerless to win the battle in our minds; So what are we to do!?

The other day I woke up with the same sense of dread and fear brewing, and I knew enough was enough. I didn't want to let another day go by that I felt as if I was just surviving. I reminded myself that this was no surprise to God, and He wasn't moved by any of the change we were going; Which means He still had a plan for us to thrive, even in this season!

As children of God we are instructed to seek first the kingdom of God, because it is there that we will be assured that He is our provider and caretaker, and He will give us all that we need. In fact, we see here that these things produce anxiety, and therefore, we are commanded not to seek the things that the rest of the world is striving for.

Peace comes not when our problems disappear but when we choose to fix our hearts and minds on who God is. When I focus on my problems, I worry. When I focus on God's promises and His faithfulness, I experience His presence and the peace that comes with it. It’s a daily, minute-by-minute choice to focus my mind on Him. Peace comes when we learn to fix our hearts, eyes and minds not our situation but on our Savior.

How do we do this? By keeping our mind stayed upon His word. God is trustworthy and faithful in all things; and he is not a man that He should lie. All of His promises prove true, and He is a shield to all who look to HIm for protection.

There are various ways we can keep our mind stayed upon the Word of God; Here are a few practical ways to do so:

1. Study the Word using a study bible and commentary.Reading the bible and getting God's word in our heart daily is key to living a fruitful life; But there is nothing more powerful than digging deep and becoming a student of the word of God. When we understand and grow in knowledge, we will build a rock solid foundation in Him.
2. Pray the Word of God. Declaring the word and making God's promises personal is powerful in assuring our own hearts (which lifts up our shield of faith), and also empowers us to combat the lies and fears brought on by the enemy (by using our Sword of the Spirit- the spoken word of God. Here are some specifically to overcome emotional battles).
3. Journal the Word. Write scriptures down as God speaks to your heart and testimonies, dreams, visions, etc. He has placed in your heart. Remind yourself of His faithfulness by going back and reading journal entries. As we learn to trust Him, we learn that He is trustworthy.
4. Renew Your Mind with the Word. Our minds are much like a computer, which will be programed with whatever we put in. My favorite way to reprogram my mind to align with God's promises is by writing down the word on post it notes (or any form you choose) and placing it anywhere I can keep it before my eyes. I have found this to be so powerful when it comes to keeping my heart fixed on His promises. As thoughts and situations arise throughout the day that are contrary to what He says, we can fix our thoughts on the Hope of His promise and re-direct our thoughts to peace.
5. Share/Talk About the Word of God with Others. Even though we are in isolation in a sense, we still have modes of technology (phone calls, text, virtual small groups, bible studies, church, worship, etc.) where we can connect with others. God never meant us to walk through life alone. It is powerful to connect with others! (Also, exciting news! Our next round of Stronger Together starts in May!)

These are just a few simple and practical ways we can connect with God's word and remain steadfast in His promises.

So; The question is, in the midst of a worldwide crisis, can we truly win the war over anxiety? That question always has an answer: Yes. A mind kept on Gods word, (and Jesus, who is the Word made flesh), can always be kept “in perfect peace”.

Prayer: “Lord, I pray that as I spend time seeking your Kingdom first, that you will give me wisdom on how to handle every area of my life. I ask for wisdom to make good decisions for my future. I thank you for the provision to meet all of my needs and my family’s needs. I pray that I will not be anxious about the things that the world worries about, because I know that as I seek you first, I will have all that I need. Thank you Lord for this great and precious promises that have the power to keep me in perfect peace! In Jesus’ Name, Amen!”