Do Not Fear

(Our Theme for June)

Philippians 4:6

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 passes all understanding, will guard your heart and mind, through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

That is easier said than done! Anxiety seems to be our constant companion these days, perhaps as a legacy from the covid pandemic years of isolation and fear. Perhaps it is also partly because of the fractured political environment we inhabit. It may come from health issues, economic issues, or strained relationships. Or it may just be a part of the human condition.

Writer F. Scott Fitzgerald famously caught the spirit of anxiety when he wrote, “In the real dark night of the soul it is always three o’clock in the morning, day after day.” Fitzgerald wrote these words in 1936 in “The Crackup,” a book of essays about his own spiritual and physical breakdown.

For me, anxiety can literally wake me up at 3:00 in the morning. Usually a flag has gone up in my head that says, “You forgot to make that phone call…. send that email.... visit that friend.” Or it whispers to me, “You should not have used that tone…used that word…you may have hurt a friend.” Or it shouts at me, “You have wasted your life!”

When morning comes, all these anxieties shrink back to the shadows and life goes on. But how to get to the morning? I have discovered a ritual of prayer in the form of memorized bible passages.

I find Psalm 46 comforting, especially when I get to the part that says, “Be still and know that I am God.”

Matthew 6:34 encourages me: “do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will take care of itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

1 Peter 4:7 comforts me, “Throw all your anxiety onto him, because he cares for you.”

These words remind me that I am not in charge and that I cannot see the full reality of my life. Only God, through the Holy Spirit, can see and guide me. I take deep breaths and say prayers of thanks for all the blessings of the day. And I fall asleep.

If you suffer from anxiety, perhaps these rituals, all forms of prayer, can turn your anxiety into an encounter with Christ and a sense of God’s wholeness. May your soul be calmed and quieted.

Let us pray:

Dear Lord, forgive us our anxieties which signal that we are trying to be the center of our world rather than making you the center. Forgive us for feeling alone instead of seeking your company. Breathe on us and fill us with peace. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.

This devotion was written by Laura Derr and read by Greta Smith.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life.

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org.

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.