From the Wall: Encouragement for the Anxious Heart

I don’t know about you all, but I am getting a bit anxious as things get crazier and crazier all around us! What is going on? What do I do?

I find comfort in knowing that there are some actions that we, as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, can take. Consider the following six actions:

1. Take Much Time in God’s Word!

God’s Word is the light to our path. It gives us wisdom, provides insight, and brings comfort. This is true at all times, including during our present climate of uncertainty.

2. While in the Word, Spend Time in Psalms

The psalms are balm for our souls! Psalm 91 is where I began today. There, I was reminded that God is my refuge and my fortress:

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust (Psalm 91:1-2)”

The psalm goes on elaborate on God’s protection for us:

For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler

and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his pinions,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness is a shield and buckler

nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.

A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
You will only look with your eyes
and see the recompense of the wicked.

Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place—
the Most High, who is my refuge—
no evil shall be allowed to befall you,
no plague come near your tent (Psalm 91:3-10).

He invites me to seek shelter under his protective wings. I sure needed that invitation today! We all need the reminder of his promised care and protection over us.

3. Take Your Worries & Fears to Him in Prayer

He understands and is waiting for us to come to him in our time of need. In the words of Hebrews 4:16, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

4. Reach out to Family & Friends

Hebrews exhorts us to encourage one another daily, and all the more as we see the day approaching:

But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin (Heb. 3:13).

 So, look for ways to encourage those you love. We need each other!

5. Be a Light in the Darkness

Life might look a bit different right now, but we still see people at the grocery, in the neighborhood, and on social media. Use these opportunities to shine the light of Christ by giving a cheerful smile and be kind to all you meet.

6. Lastly, Remember That Our Hope is in Him!

Psalm 20:7 says, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we will trust in the name of the Lord our God.” And in Hebrews 6, we are encouraged by the recollection of “this hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us.” Let’s cling to that hope during this season and at all times.