Note: This post is edited from a video about anxiety I made for the Life Bible app. You can watch the video here. (I apologize in advance for the random mic issues!)
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Praying for protection from anxiety
In Psalm 64:1, David prays, “Oh God, . . . preserve my life from dread of the enemy.”
Notice that in this prayer, David doesn’t only pray for protection from his enemies when they fight in the future, but he actually prays for protection from dread of his enemies today. This is David praying for protection from anxiety.
David’s prayer is instructive for us. Much of our anxiety in life is not caused by our present suffering but by the demons of our imagination—our dread of some future outcome.
I appreciate Winston Churchill’s story of the old man who said on his deathbed that he had experienced a lot of trouble in his life—most of which had never happened.
In other words, most of this man’s trouble was living in dread of something that never actually ended up happening! Much of his pain came from unnecessary anxiety about the future.
How can we combat this temptation in our lives?
One of the most important promises to cling to when we feel anxious is God’s promise of daily bread.
In Exodus 16, God miraculously provided bread in the wilderness for the Israelites. He told them to gather enough for today, but he warned them not to try to gather bread for tomorrow. In this command, God was teaching his people to trust him day by day—just as Jesus does when he tells us to pray for daily bread (see Matthew 6:9-13).
Much of our anxiety in life comes from trying to gather tomorrow’s bread today. We carry the unnecessary burden of trying to control tomorrow’s outcomes by worrying today.
But God tells us the same thing he said to the Israelites: “Come to Me to provide today, and trust me to provide tomorrow” (cf. Matt. 6:25-34; Matt. 11:28-30). This is the formula for a restful soul.
Friend, the security we long for doesn’t come from knowing the future but from knowing and trusting God. Our future is uncertain, but God’s faithfulness is not. He loves you. He is with you right now. And he will never leave you, nor forsake you.
Prayer: Sovereign Lord, King and Ruler over all creation, protect my life from dread of my enemies. You care for flowers and birds, and say I have so much more worth. Settle my anxious heart. Bring my soul out of trouble. Make Your presence my heart’s refuge today. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Scripture recommendation: Matthew 6:25-34
Song recommendation: Flowers + Birds by Brook Hills Worship
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Blake Glosson (MDiv, Reformed Theological Seminary) is a pastoral resident at Chapelstreet Church in Geneva, Illinois. He has been published and/or republished or referred by:
- The Gospel Coalition
- Life Bible
- Crosswalk
- Eternal Perspective Ministries (Randy Alcorn)
- Challies.com/Tim Challies (here, here, and here)
- DashHouse (Darryl Dash)
- Moody Radio (here, here, and here)
- The JOY FM (here and here)
- ChurchLeaders.com
- Monergism.com
- The Aquila Report (here, here, and here)
Previously, Blake served as the director of young adults at New Covenant Bible Church in St. Charles, Illinois.
Read or watch “Hope in Times of Suffering” here.
Read or watch “How to Resist Rivalry and Pursue Unity” here.
Read “Why Does God Say No to Good Things?” here.
Watch or listen to Blake’s sermons here.
Feel free to drop a comment below with thoughts or questions!