During these uncertain and anxious times, I find this Truth has helped me to live my life with more hope and peace than one might expect. I find that when I share my concerns and anxieties with God, I shift from tension and worry to a more trusting, hopeful feeling. A recent article in the Wall Street Journal caught my attention and cemented for me the need for this Truth at this time. The headline for the article was so interesting and hopeful: “Many people are praying now, and scientists say the practice may boost mental health.” The article confirmed how helpful prayer is and how it allows you to give your burdens to the Lord and find rest.
“God hears us” is one of the most important Truths that I have anchored my life on. This is what prayer is all about — talking to the Lord about everything that matters to me, things both big and small. I learned about prayer when I was a little girl and it has truly changed my life. I am so thankful my mother taught me about how much the Lord loves me and that through a relationship with Him, my concerns can be heard, my anxieties recognized, and I can find peace when I offer my prayers to Him.
Anchor Truth: God Hears You
1 Peter 5:7
One of my most vivid memories from my growing up years illustrates how this Truth was grounded in me at a very young age. My twin sister Sara and I shared a room and had a nightly routine of praying for each other. For some reason, at the age of four, my sister was very fearful of the dentist and my big fear was that I was going to die. Crazy as it may sound these were real fears that worried us both greatly.
Every night I remember my sister asking me, “Kate, will you ask God if I have a cavity?” I remember quietly going to the Lord in prayer asking Him if Sara had a cavity. To my relief I would hear a still small voice say “no” and I would reassure my sister: ‘No you don’t have one.” I would hear a sigh of relief from her bed. In turn I would ask her to ask the Lord if I was going to die. She would earnestly pray for me and came back with the reassuring words: “No, you’re not going to die.” We would both proceed to say “‘I love you” and “good night” and would fall asleep in peace.
Me, my mom, and my twin sister Sara
I share this sweet moment and nightly routine with you as an example of the peace and relief it was to bring our worries and anxieties to the Lord. With childlike faith we trusted and believed. Even better, after all those nights of prayer, my sister to this day has never had a cavity and, of course, here I am sharing this story with you knowing my forever truth of eternal life with Jesus brings me more comfort than I can describe.
With childlike faith we trusted and believed.
God wants us to “cast all our anxiety on Him,” the big things AND the little things. He cares about them all. The word “cast” in 1 Peter 5:7 means to “throw forcefully.” You can throw all of your worries and anxieties on the Lord for He cares and loves you deeply. When you give your worries to the Lord, He will lighten your load and fill you with peace. You can come to Him with anything in prayer and then hold on to the truths and promises in His Word. It is not always easy, and it often comes down to a choice:
When we come to faith in Jesus and receive and believe in Him, we become God’s special children (John 1:12-13). He is our Father, and He loves each of us very much. He made you, specifically and purposefully. He has very special plans for you and cares about all the details of your life. You can come to Him with any concern, big or small. Watch and believe, and wait in expectation as He answers you. Sometimes God doesn’t answer our prayers when and how we think He should. His plan for us isn’t always what we think it should be but our Father knows best. His plan is way bigger than we can imagine.
It is comforting to know that we can bring anything to the Lord. Lately we have had some big issues in our world that are heavy and cause unrest and anxiety. The one thing I know I can do during this time of uncertainty is pray. Just the other day I came across these verses in the Bible that greatly encouraged me and I hope do the same for you. Jesus told a story to his disciples to make a point on prayer. He said: “you should always pray and not give up.” (Luke 18:1) He continued on to say, “Will not God bring about justice to those who cry out to Him day and night? Will He keep putting them off? I tell you, He WILL see that they get justice, and quickly.” (Luke 18:7-8) We can continue to pray in perseverance and not give up assured that the Lord hears our cries. He cares for us, is concerned for us, and desires to bring peace and genuine love to us all.
God hears us. I am so thankful for this Truth to hold onto. It will secure you in the midst of huge storms and hold you steadfast during days of difficulty. This truth and promise of God will hold strong as an anchor every day no matter our circumstances.
