I am reminded of a Tim Keller tweet: “When I am bitter and unforgiving, what I am really saying in my heart is, ‘I am better than you as I would never do what you just did.’” My response to someone with whom I disagree might be something like the second extreme above. Keller’s comment indicates that my religious performance of finger-pointing reveals that I need to refrain from being Judgmental Janet.
I still don’t know what it was about that particular morning in January 2001. I dropped my two oldest off at elementary school as usual and my youngest with the neighbor who watched him so I could complete my 4-5 hours of freelance work. But today, instead of going straight to work, this time, I walked into the house, went to my family room, laid face down on the floor, and literally begged God to take my life.
Equipped With Every Good Thing by Tana Johnston
It had been another busy week at our house; basketball practices, a coaching meeting, appointments in town, not to mention homeschool, dinners, dishes, and laundry. Life was passing me by at a pace that I felt I couldn’t keep up with. Once again, I hadn’t been able to pour into my coaching business what I had wanted to, and my old feelings of defeat began to creep back into my mind and invade my soul. I sat down in my big, comfy, brown reading chair with my Bible.
I dropped my head to my chest and began to speak to the Father… “Lord, please help me,” in more of a pleading tone than I anticipated came from within me. Immediately my mind went to Philippians 4. The thought of its familiarity made me smile, and it was the exact salve my soul needed in the moment. I opened my Bible and began reading in verse 6:
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7 NIV)
I began to pray again, laying all of my burdens at the feet of Jesus only to receive the peace He promises.
When we allow the weight of the world to invade us to our core, when worry and anxiety begin to settle in, it becomes hard to love those around us well. The best remedy for healing is prayer, proper thinking, and purposeful response. When we go to the Father in prayer, giving him our worries, our anxieties, our disappointments, and our frustrations, He will meet us there with an open heart and loving arms. The God of peace himself – His protection, His presence, His comfort, His encouragement, will flood into our hearts and minds as we give Him our troubles.
We can exchange worry for comfort, anxiety for strength, disappointment for encouragement, and frustration for contentment and peace. Peace comes in trusting God today, right now in the moment, with all the things we are facing. When we stop thinking about yesterday and quit worrying about tomorrow, we can live in the present and trust the God of peace to equip us with every good thing for doing His will.
Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (Hebrews 13:20-21 NIV)
He has uniquely equipped you and me with every good thing we need to walk in this life that He has for us. When we exchange our worries and anxieties for His comfort and peace, we can live as His love offering to the world around us.
About the Author:
Hi, I’m Tana! I am a multi-passionate, fun-loving, crazy ambitious, determined woman who is crazy about Jesus, who He is, and what this life is all about. I am a Certified Christian Life Coach with a heart to help teens and women move from where they are stuck to the great competence and fulfillment they desire.
My husband and I have twin 10 year-old boys and live just outside of Kersey, Colorado. We ride horses, participate in rodeos and coach rodeo athletes on their mental mindset as well as performance in the sport.
instagram.com/tanalee_johnston and https://www.facebook.com/people/Advance-Coaching-Academy/61550929765480/
www.tanaleejohnston.com
It had been another busy week at our house: basketball practices, a coaching meeting, appointments in town, not to mention homeschooling, dinners, dishes, and laundry. Life was passing me by at a pace that I felt I couldn’t keep up with. Once again, I hadn’t been able to pour into my coaching business what I had wanted to, and my old feelings of defeat began to creep back into my mind and invade my soul. I sat down in my big, comfy, brown reading chair with my Bible.
My mama sewed most of my clothes when I was growing up. I was proud of the dresses that she made me. She even lovingly made my wedding dress. Her designs were intricate and beautiful. She knew my body and my thoughts—my likes and my dislikes.
The Word of God would have been extinguished thousands of years ago if not for parents passing faith down to their children. “Her children arise and call her blessed…” (Proverbs 31:28) is the legacy of a mother who has put Christ in the center of her heart and home, and who has led her children to fall in love with Him.