By Linda Evans Shepherd
If you’ve experienced frayed emotions during these months of pandemic, you’re not alone. Many people are reporting stress, anxiety, depression and even thoughts of suicide. But how do you protect yourself from difficult emotions caused by circumstances you can’t change?
That’s a great question, but what if you’re looking at this problem from the wrong perspective? What if God is trying to create change in us so that we can live a life of peace despite our circumstances?
We serve a God Whose Kingdom reigns above all. And an amazing fact about the Kingdom of God is that it is not subject to the cares of this world.
In Mark, chapter 4, Jesus told a parable about thorns choking sprouting seedlings. He used this story to illustrate how the cares of this world can choke us, preventing us from having a fruitful life of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
I know how hard it is to battle thorny cares. Years ago, my toddler was injured in a devastating car crash and lived in coma for over a year. When she finally woke up, she was left with severe disabilities. These thorns could have crushed my spirit, but God helped me to find joy through my tears and peace through my heartache. The secret to this transformation came as I studied the word, prayed, and yielded to more to God’s presence in my life.
In Praying Through Your Emotions, Finding Peace No Matter What, I show how to weed out the enemy’s thorns with Scripture prayers. These prayers help us realize:
- God’s unquenchable love.
- God-breathed healing into our depression and pain.
- The words we need to pray effective prayers.
- The confidence we need to know that we are praying in God’s will.
- A deeper connection with the very presence of God.
Give it a try and pray this powerful prayer about Anxiety:
Dear Lord,
The trouble in this world has made me anxious. But You want me to turn my anxieties over to You. You remind me not to fear or be dismayed because You are my God. You promise to strengthen and help me as You hold my hand. Okay, I’ll take Your anxiety challenge and give You all my anxieties. I turn over my life, my food, my clothes, my body, my fears, and my worries to You. After all, the birds never worry or stress out about their lives, and You take wonderful care of them. And you’ve said that I’m more important to You than the birds.
My anxiety has been unproductive, causing my head to spin as I search for impossible solutions instead of trusting You. But the solutions are not up to me. The solutions to my problems belong to You. You can figure everything out so much better than I can even imagine. All I have to say is “Thank You!”
I declare that You are in charge of my problems. I trust You to show me what to do in every situation as You put me on the right path. I give You my hand and take a deep breath as I realize You’ve got this. You’ve got all of it. I will trust You every day—remembering that You are the Lord over all and especially over me.
In the name of Jesus, amen.
Anxiety Prayer used by permission from Praying Through Every Emotion © Linda Evans Shepherd 2021, from Baker Revell
Linda Evans Shepherd is the president of Right to the Heart Ministries and leader of the upcoming virtual Arise Esther Conference scheduled February 24 – 26th, and the award-winning author of 36 books, including her latest, Praying Through Every Emotion. You can visit EmotionPrayers.com to download a list of bonus prayers not included in the book.
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