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When my anxious thoughts multiply within me,

Thy consolations delight my soul. ~ Psalm 94:19

 

My dear sisters,

Who among us never has an anxious thought? No matter how we try to avoid them, something always manages to creep in. A lot of times we can shoo them away like an annoying insect, but other times they suddenly multiply so fast that we are overwhelmed. 

Last week, due to a situation beyond my control, I was thrust into a very uncomfortable place. Out of my element. Out of my comfort zone. It was hitting all of my anxiety buttons! In fact, anxiety triggers that I didn’t even know I had multiplied my anxious thoughts even more!

My mother had just come out of an unsuccessful, emergency surgery and was facing another one the next day. Outwardly, I thought I was holding it all together…. calm, encouraging, hopeful, but inwardly my mind was clouded with confusion, my body exhausted with the stress of the day.  

That evening, I had trouble finding my way out of the hospital and even more trouble navigating  the labyrinth of the parking garage (why don’t they just own up and call it ‘the car maze’?) The only thing I was certain of was that I needed to hold on to my keys, my wallet, my phone and …. the Lord.

After wandering around for ages and finally locating my vehicle, I opened the door and sat down only to find my phone was not in my hand anymore! It was the last straw! As tears overwhelmed me, I cried out to the Lord! I had no idea where to look, no idea what to do. I wasn’t even confident that I could drive home at that point. I feared that I had truly, finally, lost my marbles. Then, a little sound broke through the noise of my confusion. A familiar little sound. A text message notification! My phone had somehow fallen into the door pocket of my car!

The message was from my mother-in-law, who I was staying with, encouraging me on my way home. I heard the voice of the Lord in my thoughts, “I am with you always….. I will help you through.” His timely consolations delighted my tearful, clouded soul!

I felt a measure of calmness in my spirit, and the Lord gave me peace even though I still had the challenge of the car maze, and still had to navigate multiple unfamiliar expressways during a rainy, dark evening. (Amazingly, although traffic was bumper to bumper, motorists allowed me to merge off and on to each new highway with plenty of room… perhaps there was a scary looking guardian angel sitting on the roof of my vehicle.)

So, that is why I chose Psalm 94:19 for today. My Bible fell open to that very page the next morning and it was certainly an “aha!” moment! We all have our anxious moments, and it’s important to remember that the Lord is with you, knows what is going on with you and waits for you to cry out to Him! Even if you think you’ve got everything under control!

And my mother? She came through the second surgery with no complications and is recovering well. That second day, I still got lost in the car maze, but I took an easier, slower route home. No sense tempting the Lord.

Who is like you, LORD God Almighty? You, Lord, are mighty and your faithfulness surrounds you! ~Psalm 89:8

Tell me about a time the Lord has consoled your soul in a time of anxiety!

With love, your sister, Celeste