by Terry Wane Benton<\/p>\n
When your nerves are frayed, and you are afraid of what is going to happen in view of what you just lost, it can consume you with stress, worry, and anxiety. I believe that God helps us through things even when we cannot see any hope at the moment.<\/p>\n
I’ve been through several valleys of anxiety in my time, and each time God helped me through those valleys. Reading about such anxious moments David faced and how he affirmed God’s care and help in the Psalms showed me that anxiety was real for David, but he handled it by affirming faith in God as a “very present help in trouble.<\/em>“<\/p>\n He had to remind himself that even if the mountains are falling all around him, there is a stream of refreshment that makes glad the city of God (Psalms 45). “God is my refuge<\/em>,” he repeated over and over. And in a while, the frightening storms began to subside and settle into a peaceful new day.<\/p>\nThere are many unpleasant tasks and challenges to our faith, and it is then that the quality of our faith is up for review. I have to ask myself in those moments, “Do you truly trust God to see you through this? Have you been playing at faith? Is there no hardship that tests the quality of your faith?” [Am I a Soldier of the Cross, Isaac Watts]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Is this how you get a grip on your anxieties? In anxiety, it is always time to draw near to God, and He will draw near to you! He cares for you! But what about your trust <\/b>in Him?<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by Terry Wane Benton When your nerves are frayed, and you are afraid of what is going to happen in view of what you just lost, it can consume you with stress, worry, and anxiety. I believe that God helps us through things even when we cannot see any hope at the moment. I’ve been…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[507],"class_list":["post-92420","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-anxiety"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":52886,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/muddy-times\/","url_meta":{"origin":92420,"position":0},"title":"Muddy Times","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 25, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Psalms 40 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Psalms 38-40 cover related themes on the problems caused by sin \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Sin is an overwhelming burden and they cause problems in life - Psalms 38:3-8 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Sin can cause anxiety - Psalms 38:18 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0C.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Even close friends and family tend to avoid you when\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":31608,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-can-we-pray-about\/","url_meta":{"origin":92420,"position":1},"title":"What can we pray about?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 4, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: The Bible says to cast all our cares onto the Lord, so what are we allowed to talk to God about? A lot of times, it's easy to pray in times of trouble or in times of need, but I realize that if I only talk to the Lord\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":23540,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-to-do-when-the-country-is-falling-apart\/","url_meta":{"origin":92420,"position":2},"title":"What to Do When the Country Is Falling Apart?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 1, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 by Gardner Hall The prophet Habakkuk was overwhelmed with anxiety about two things: The injustice in his country (Habakkuk 1:1-4) and the resulting destruction at the hands of the Babylonians (Habakkuk 1:5-2:1). However, when the prophet turned to the Lord in prayer, his confidence grew to the point that\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/gazelle.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/gazelle.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/gazelle.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/gazelle.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":67867,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/growing-old-in-the-lord\/","url_meta":{"origin":92420,"position":3},"title":"Growing Old in the Lord","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 1, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"by Mike Johnson via Seeking Things Above Text: Psalm 71 Young people may consider an aged person's life free from problems. \u00a0For example, they see an older person as one who does not have to face the difficulties of employment, child rearing, and sometimes even house payments. \u00a0They may note\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/micheile-henderson-PpZasS086os-unsplash-200x300.webp?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":60579,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-valley-of-the-shadow-of-death\/","url_meta":{"origin":92420,"position":4},"title":"The Valley of the Shadow of Death","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 29, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"by Earl Kimbrough Via\u00a0Guardian of Truth XXXII: 17, pp. 534-535, September 1, 1988 The beautiful twenty-third Psalm is a song of faith. It abounds with an assurance of God's guidance and protection. There is mention of the danger of enemies, both past and present, but it is muted by David's\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":22191,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/make-me-know-my-end\/","url_meta":{"origin":92420,"position":5},"title":"Make Me Know My End","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 10, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Text: Psalms 39 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Psalms 38-40 cover related themes regarding the problems caused by sin \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0God has punished David because of his sin - Psalms 38:1-2 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Between God\u2019s punishment and the burden of the sin itself, David feels overwhelmed - Psalms 38:3-8 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0C.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Even close friends and family avoid you when\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/92420","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=92420"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/92420\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=92420"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=92420"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=92420"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nWhen anxiety seems to be winning, it is time to check our faith in God.\nMust I be carried to the skies
\non flowery beds of ease
\nwhile others fought to win the prize
\nand sailed through bloody seas?\nAre there no foes for me to face?
\nMust I not stem the flood?
\nIs this vile world a friend to grace,
\nTo help me on to God?\nSure, I must fight if I would reign!
\nIncrease my courage, Lord!
\nI’ll bear the toil, endure the pain,
\nsupported by Thy Word!\n