Most of us at one time or another are anxious. Some of us choose to live in a constant state of anxiety. I think there is a difference between the two. Being anxious is a momentary state of worry that comes and then goes. Anxiety is when one has let the state of being anxious become the center of our vision.
The other word that goes along with these is uncertainty. There seems to be an air of uncertainty that is dominating our world. We are uncertain about the economic future. There is uncertainty about jobs. Some are uncertain about their relationships. Others find their health is be more fragile than they ever dreamed. In every one's life, there are points of uncertainty.
Which leads us to our next word in the chain, control. I have always maintained that the one who holds the remote to the television is the one who controls the house. For some control is what life is all about. You can identify these folks easily if you go somewhere--they always want to drive. Or if they are not driving, they are quick to point out the deficiencies of the person that is driving. As a person ages, one of the most critical issues in life is the loss of control. Someone will tell us where we live, when we get up, etc. Then we lose control of our own bodily functions.
And we find ourselves back at square one--the state of anxiousness...
In the world of theology there are two prescriptions God gives to us. The first is called prevenient grace. This is the knowledge that where ever life leads us--despite our human errors in choice--God is at work for good in our life. It is not that we lose our free will and it is all planned out just for us to accept. No indeed. God is weaving lives together urging choices to be made by all that bring goodness and mercy to all.
The second prescription is assurance. This is the choice we have to be assured that God loves us and God is at work for goodness in our life. It is the hope that is unseen in worldly terms but very real in our faith perspective. Fanny Crosby speaks of this faith when she wrote the hymn, Blessed Assurance. She speaks of submission, delight, and rest not because all of life is a cakewalk. Remember that she is blind! But it is her story to praise God at all times because of this assurance.
The assurance of God's presence is greater than anything life has to throw at us. Maybe you need God's prescription in your life today!
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