I Choose Joy over Anxiety

I must admit that, for the last several days, I have been feeling some anxiety:

Anxious about creating a blog.
Anxious about what to write.
Anxious about whether anyone will read my blog or my book.
Anxious about how the blog and the book will be received.
Anxious because I know my life will change once the book is released.
Anxious about whether I am up to the challenges that are ahead of me.
Anxious about being anxious -- because I know I'm not SUPPOSED to be anxious.

I'll admit it -- I'm a worry wart.  If I don't have something to worry about, I'll worry about what I have forgotten to worry about.

But the fact is, I should not be worrying about ANYTHING!  

That is not how God wants me (or you) to live.  He tells us in Phillipians 4:6-7, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (NIV)

Instead of being in a state of anxiety, God wants our minds to be in a state of perfect peace and joy.  Isaiah 26:3 tells us, "You (God) will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you (God)." (NIV) 

And also, Jesus told His disciples in John 14:27, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

The fact of the matter is, I am NOT up to the challenges that are ahead of me.  But God is.  I just need to trust that He will never lead me into a place where He is not with me.  He does not expect me to do this on my own.  Quite to the contrary -- He does not want me to do it on my own.  He only asks me to trust Him and to be obedient to Him.

So, I promise this week, to remember the following prayer.  This is my prayer, not only for myself, but also for you.  It is found in Ephesians 3:14-19:

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from Whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.  I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (NIV)

I pray that we can both choose JOY this week, over anxiety.