Being a workaholic or having goals that are just outside of our reach will only lead to increased anxiety in our lives. Perhaps our priorities and hopes need to be re-evaluated to become more holistic and transformative. Instead of placing all our focus and hope in material and temporal things, like possessions or careers, we should place our hope in God. We should allow Him to work on our hearts and in becoming full of His peace, joy, and hope. Perhaps our hope can also be found in doing good unto others as Jesus suggests we do.
Luke 6:30-31
Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.
Many times we get stuck looking for explanations or reasons behind everything because it feels like if we know why things happen or don’t happen, that will bring us peace and rest. Unfortunately, often we cannot understand the why or how of things because some things are not explainable or rational, especially when we are dealing with the actions of others. In trying to make sense of everything, we often see things through the lens of our own experiences, but we can never completely grasp what another person will think, act, or do or the pain others can cause us in a way that will make sense of it.
Dwelling on the how and why will only cause us to get stuck in our anxiety and confusion. In the same way, we can’t progress forward and have rest in our lives if we see our past as a series of mistakes. We need to see all the lessons we have learned and how we have grown and changed from what God has brought us through by giving Him our anxiety and receiving His peace that passes all understanding.
Philippians 4:6-7
Be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Let’s all resolve to ponder what we put our hope in this week and determine if that hope is giving us rest. If it’s only causing us more anxiety, let’s refine our hopes and aspirations and allow God to fill our lives with his peace and rest.
