Going to be honest, I saw the title of this podcast and skipped over listening to it. I didn’t want to hear the usual advice-you have anxiety, just stop worrying, leave it to God. And to think that the discussion would affirm that anxiety is a sin…I would rather never know that and live in blissful ignorance. I’m not sure why I decided to have a listen today and I am glad I did. There was a lot there and I will have to go back through the transcript or relisten to make sure I rehear some parts.
A few months ago we were awaiting our youngest daughter to birth her first child. There is a long story to it but the summary is that I was feeling anxious for her, the baby, the delivery and everything surrounding that. In trying to stay a calm mom and support my daughter, I found myself not able to carry the weight of my worry/anxiousness alone. I knew God was there and I never let up, what I thought, was trusting in him. I responded to the invitation and pleaded for extra prayers from anyone who would pray. When visiting another congregation just before her due date, I responded to the invitation again asking for prayers.
In the process of doing that, some weight was lifted but then I felt incredibly bad, guilty and feeling insufficient in trusting that God had all of this. Why did I need to respond like that? Do I need to respond again to ask for forgiveness about not trusting God? So many questions and much to learn about handling anxiety still. Mama and baby are here and healthy! For now I will praise God for the gift bestowed to our family….and worry about everything else later💙
Thank you for sharing your heart, Paula! So thankful to hear mom and baby are doing well! God is so good! Sounds to me like you were right to be concerned for your family and you were right to surround yourself with prayer warriors, who would join you in prayer and hold your hands up while you prayed!
I’m glad you decided to listen in against that initial impulse Paula! And I’m even more glad that it encouraged you!
Praise God for the safe arrival of the little one and mom’s safety. If I were to encourage you further - it would only be to remind you that if while Jesus suffered great anxiety, part of His strategy was to ask for those closest to Him to pray with Him - then your leaning on your brothers and sisters in the same way WAS THE MOST Christlike response to what you were going through. Our moments of insufficiency are always God supplied opportunities to remember His all sufficiency, love, and faithfulness. Where you are weak, He is strong. Take heart sister - in this you certainly did nothing wrong!
You’re doing better than you think sister, and I praise God along with you!
I sure hope to hell it's not a sin. ... Largely like my now-late father, I've been a chronic worrier and negative thinker almost my entire life. It would be appropriate to have stated on my grave/urn marker someday that, ‘He spent his life worrying sick about things that never happened.’
Going to be honest, I saw the title of this podcast and skipped over listening to it. I didn’t want to hear the usual advice-you have anxiety, just stop worrying, leave it to God. And to think that the discussion would affirm that anxiety is a sin…I would rather never know that and live in blissful ignorance. I’m not sure why I decided to have a listen today and I am glad I did. There was a lot there and I will have to go back through the transcript or relisten to make sure I rehear some parts.
A few months ago we were awaiting our youngest daughter to birth her first child. There is a long story to it but the summary is that I was feeling anxious for her, the baby, the delivery and everything surrounding that. In trying to stay a calm mom and support my daughter, I found myself not able to carry the weight of my worry/anxiousness alone. I knew God was there and I never let up, what I thought, was trusting in him. I responded to the invitation and pleaded for extra prayers from anyone who would pray. When visiting another congregation just before her due date, I responded to the invitation again asking for prayers.
In the process of doing that, some weight was lifted but then I felt incredibly bad, guilty and feeling insufficient in trusting that God had all of this. Why did I need to respond like that? Do I need to respond again to ask for forgiveness about not trusting God? So many questions and much to learn about handling anxiety still. Mama and baby are here and healthy! For now I will praise God for the gift bestowed to our family….and worry about everything else later💙
Thank you for sharing your heart, Paula! So thankful to hear mom and baby are doing well! God is so good! Sounds to me like you were right to be concerned for your family and you were right to surround yourself with prayer warriors, who would join you in prayer and hold your hands up while you prayed!
I’m glad you decided to listen in against that initial impulse Paula! And I’m even more glad that it encouraged you!
Praise God for the safe arrival of the little one and mom’s safety. If I were to encourage you further - it would only be to remind you that if while Jesus suffered great anxiety, part of His strategy was to ask for those closest to Him to pray with Him - then your leaning on your brothers and sisters in the same way WAS THE MOST Christlike response to what you were going through. Our moments of insufficiency are always God supplied opportunities to remember His all sufficiency, love, and faithfulness. Where you are weak, He is strong. Take heart sister - in this you certainly did nothing wrong!
You’re doing better than you think sister, and I praise God along with you!
I sure hope to hell it's not a sin. ... Largely like my now-late father, I've been a chronic worrier and negative thinker almost my entire life. It would be appropriate to have stated on my grave/urn marker someday that, ‘He spent his life worrying sick about things that never happened.’
hit the nail on the head this morning... I am grateful I listened and now il put it to good use.
So glad this lifted you!! Thanks for joining us!
So good to hear! Thanks for listening!