Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Evangelical
Experiencing Peace Amidst OVERWHELMING Anxiety

Experiencing Peace Amidst OVERWHELMING Anxiety

Last updated on: July 10, 2021 at 12:05 pm by Pastor Kelly M. Williams

Experiencing Peace Amidst OVERWHELMING Anxiety 2021-07-10T12:05:17-06:00 Pastor Kelly M. Williams

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

EXPERIENCING PEACE AMDIST OVERWHELMING ANXIETY

Are you tired emotionally? Is your peace short lived due to the overwhelming nature of your life right now? What if I told you there is a cosmic spiritual war going on right now around you that is impacting you inwardly, would you believe me?

We’re not the first to enter this cosmic battle!

The Apostle Paul can relate.

He lived part of his life in a prison cell. I can’t imagine how emotionally exhausting this season of his life must have been. Yet, he found strength in the Lord and he experienced hope, encouragement, and peace in spite of the circumstances that surrounded him.

It is possible to experience peace amidst overwhelming anxiety. Paul shows us in Philippians 3:12 what to do…Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.

What is “this” Paul is referring to? He is referring to the resurrection from the dead. He wants to live again. Don’t we all? He wants to live forever with God.

In this world of social media and short-sided emotions and visions, I find that our world is losing its eternal perspective in every way. We find ourselves living for just today and though it is important to live in the moment, it is equally important to live for our eternity.

Paul wants the world to know he has not yet attained what He wants most. How about you? He has not already received all he longs for nor has he been brought to that perfect completeness to which he has aspired.

Paul has two aspirations in life. He wants to be perfect and eternal.

I do too.

How about you? What do you want out of this life? Are you pressing into that?

If you are not growing toward Christ, you are declining in your faith for Christ and your peace with Christ.

If you are declining in your faith for Christ, you will feel it in the peace you don’t feel in your life.

Paul tells us in Philippians 3:13-14 we have to forget what lies behind us and strain forward to what lies ahead. We have to press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Are you pressing into God’s calling on your life or have you given up?

Recently I was in a meeting with the elders of the church I pastor, I had asked them to pray about me doing something God has asked me to do that would be difficult, challenging, and the anxiety of following through was overwhelming. They asked me why I felt I needed to do what I was requesting they bless me to do, my response, “I believe this is who God has asked me to be and do.”

What difficult thing is God asking you to be and do? Are you willing to press into God’s calling on your life or will you fall back?

The most fearful thing I have ever done in my life is write and publish The Mystery of 23: God Speaks book. It has been a painful and scary endeavor.

But what we do for God matters and, in the end, it is all that matters.

If you do what God is calling you to be and do, every day, regardless of how difficult it may be, it is moving you closer to your goal of perfection, perfect peace, and eternity with Jesus.

What does it take to think and live like this? Paul tells us in Philippians 3:15 that those of us who are mature should think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.

It takes maturity in your thinking. How do you know if you are mature in your thinking? Paul tells us in Philippians 3:16 that mature people in the faith hold true to what we have attained.

Mature people see what they have attained through the difficult sacrifices of their faith and life.

Maybe you need to remind yourself of what you have already attained.

Take inventory of the good in your life that God has done already through you because of your willingness to be obedient to Him. As you do this, Paul tells us in Philippians 3:17 to keep our eyes on those who walk according to Christ’s example.

Who is this in your life? You won’t go the distance without other faithful examples in your life to encourage you in that direction. It is too easy to fix our eyes on the things of this world and chase after them. Paul tells us in Philippians 3:19 destruction to our faith comes when we set our minds on earthly things. Maybe it is time for you to adjust your mindset. What are you afraid of losing if you do what God asks you to do? Take your eyes off the earthly things and obey. You won’t regret it!

You and I have to take our minds off our circumstances, expenses, challenges, and things to place it on the place we ultimately plan to be. In Philippians 3:20 Paul says, “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

What is filling you with anxiety right now? Put your focus back on heaven. Live knowing you are waiting for a Savior to rescue you, a Savior who has the power and is able to subject all things you are going through to himself. Don’t forget, God’s got you and God’s got it. Whatever “it” might be. He is sovereign over every detail and circumstance in your life.

Your circumstances are not outside of God’s purview. He sees it all and He will use it all to transform your lowly body into an eternally perfect creation. God is making all things new. On that day when we meet Him face to face, He will give us the reward, the goal, the prize of the upward calling that is found in Christ Jesus. Our perfection and our eternity will all be realized at the time when we see Him and our loved ones face to face.

Peace comes amidst overwhelming anxiety when we take our eyes off the earthly circumstances and put them on the eternal things. Your destination awaits you, live with your eyes fixed on it, and the overwhelming anxiety you feel will give way to the peace of God that passes all understanding.

Blessings,

Pastor Kelly

Peace and Encouragement

Previous Post

July 10, 2021

The Mystery of 23: God Speaks AGAIN!

Next Post

July 11, 2021 Facing The Unrepentant

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category 1 Peter Abortion Asbury Revival Bearing Burdens Blessings of God BOOK OF MICAH charlie kirk Charlie Kirk and Steven Furtick Christmas Church Church Scandal Covid disicpleship Dr. James Dobson Ezekiel Fear Finances Francis Chan Gender Gender and Sexuality Gospel Grace Hearing the Voice of God Heart For God Homosexuality Israel Jesus Kayne West Kayne West and Joel Osteen Lauren Daigle Lauren Daigle and Steven Furtick Lauren Daigle and Steven Furtick Leaving Your Places Of Shittim Live Courageous Love Making A Name For Yourself For God Pastors and Churches Peace and Encouragement Personal Philip Yancey Politics Presidential Election Real Relationships Same Sex Ceremonies Sexual Abuse in the church Song Review Southern Baptist Churches and Women Teachers Suffering Thanksgiving Day The Bible The Good Pastor The Mystery of 23: God Speaks The Mystery of 23: God Speaks Again Uncategorized Visions and Dreams William Tyndale Woke Women Pastors

Select a Month September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 June 2024 April 2024 February 2024 January 2024 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 June 2023 May 2023 February 2023 January 2023 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which book of the Bible contains the Ten Plagues of Egypt?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Leviticus Exodus Genesis Deuteronomy