Monday 29 May 2017; Waking Faith Devotional By Pastor Steven Furtick - The Source of Anxiety

1 Peter 5:6-7 

"Humble yourselves... under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."

Have you been trying to get rid of your anxiety the wrong way?

In the original language that Peter used, verses 6 & 7 are not two separate sentences; they're one. This means the ideas are connected as cause and effect — casting our anxiety on God requires humbling ourselves first. When pride goes, anxiety goes with it. Where pride is present, though, anxiety is sure to show up.

Maybe you're like me and there have been times when you've tried to cast your anxieties on God while holding on to your pride. But it doesn't work that way, does it? See, pride and anxiety come wrapped in the same package. If you insist on doing it your way, then expect to feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders. The only way you can rid yourself of this kind of needless anxiety is by first ridding yourself of the notion that you're the center of the universe.

Obviously, I'm not suggesting that all anxiety is rooted in pride. But I do know that when you're focused only on you and your problems and your fears and your attempts to make things right, you can't sustain a sense of peace for very long. But when you tell God, "I can't take a step without You. I can't parent without You. I can't do my job without You. I can't live without You..." That's when His mighty hand is able to lift you above the waves.

Written By: Pastor Steven Furtick