Devotions
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In Matthew 6:25 our Lord Jesus Christ said, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?”
I was not raised in a Christian household, and because of the worldly values I was raised with, anxiety was a frequent part of my life. I found that alcohol seemed to help ease my severe bouts of anxiety. This led to self-medication, dependency, and full-blown addiction. As happens frequently, tolerance to the “drug” increased, requiring more and more alcohol, followed by other drugs. I became “poly-substance dependent” and ended up on skid-row, suicidal. I was sleeping in a dirt-floor garage and looking for something to use to hang myself when the Holy Spirit intervened. This began the process of repentance and brought me into a relationship with Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. I have to tell you that my anxieties did not disappear right away as I became a believer. During the first few months of sobriety, I frequently didn’t know where my next meal was coming from, and I came closer to being “under the bridge” as a new Christian than I ever did while I was in my addiction. Even getting together enough money to launder my clothes was a challenge. It took time and a certain amount of Christian maturity before I could look back with eyes of faith and recognize that the Lord was providing for my needs all the time. I never went hungry, my clothes held up just fine, and I always had a bed to sleep in with a roof over my head. Let’s go back to Matthew 6:25 for a moment. Any time you see “therefore” in a passage, it’s a good idea to see what it’s there for. In verse 24 Jesus is telling us that we can’t serve two masters: “ … for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” Therefore, don’t be anxious! Way too often anxiety leads to putting our faith in the wrong thing(s), and this can lead to various forms of idolatry. I share this because it seems that anxiety is on the increase, including among believers. We are living in challenging times. Where are you putting your faith? May the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Pastor Bill
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AuthorNotes from the Staff @The Woods Archives
March 2023
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