Despair and worry can make you feel isolated as if you are out in the middle of “nowhere” by yourself with no clue what to do…Have you ever felt that way?
Of course, we all have from time to time. The problem is we don’t need to “camp” there or stay in that state of mind about worry about everything. Some one has said:”Worry is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do but it doesn’t get you anywhere.” I want to share a few thoughts that I have found very helpful when dealing stress, worry, and anxiety…

1. Do what you can today. Max Lucado, one of my favorite writers, puts it this way: “Since I know God’s provision is timely, I can enjoy the present. The Key is this: Meet today’s problems with today’s strength. Don’t start tackling tomorrow’s problems until tomorrow. You do not have tomorrow’s strength yet. You simply have enough for today.” Although there maybe concerns about tommorrow, do not let it keep you from what needs to be done today. Have you ever dreaded something in advance and then when you actually got to the actual day it wasn’t as bad as you thought or you were amazed that you had the strength to deal with it then? God will not give you grace today for something you will not need today. “His grace IS ( present tense) sufficient ” which means His Grace will be there for you when you need it the most. The Amplified Bible translates this verse this way: ” My grace (My favor and loving-kindness and mercy) is enough for you [ sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully]; for My strength and power are made perfect ( fulfilled and completed) and show themselves most effective in [your] weakness . -2 Corintians 12:9.

2. If you are having difficulty thinking obessively about something, make a list and write down your thoughts . This is like ” downloading the information” so you can concentrate on other things now and still remember your important information about the situation later when you need it. This also helps break the depressing cycle of rewinding it over and over again in your mind. Jesus gives you and me good advice when He said: ” Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.” Matthew 6: 34 (The Message).

3. Remind yourself how God has been with you in the past, that He is with you now and will be with you in the future. Hebrews 13:8 states that: ” Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” He is always there if you will just reach out and trust Him by faith inspite of your anxieties and fears. The issues, decisions, or situation you are facing may be bigger than what you can handle on your own but they are not larger than God ‘s strength and power through His Grace for you…one day at a time…

On a whim, a college friend named Earle talked me into going to a Merle Haggard Concert. So, we we drove to the city hoping to find some concert tickets at the last minute. When we got there, we walked down a little side street toward the arena. We saw a group of people and thought we would approach them to see if they had tickets.
What we didn’t know was that we were one night too early for the concert… and the people we were walking up to were apparently in the middle of a drug deal! Needless to say they were surprised as we were at that moment. How Awkward! Especially, when they asked what we were doing there and I told them Earle and me were there to see Merle… ( they had never heard of Eale or Merle)…I remember thinking we might not survive this situation…but we did. They laughed and we…ran like scared rabbits all the way back to my car. It was a long time before I could listen to country music again and not get the ” heebie jeebies” ( 1960’s term for anxiety).
Is there a worse feeling than being clueless and helpless at the same time? That’s when we pray our shortest and simplest prayer : ” Lord, help me”… and amazingly He does, not because we earn it or deserve it, it is simply because He loves us enough to deliver us. Psalm 46: 1 states, ” God is our refuge and strength and ever present help in trouble.”
Take time today to reflect back on those times when God helped you or delivered you. It is as we look back and see how God was looking out for us; even when we didn’t realize we were in danger or in need, we appreciate even more His love for us. He has the answer before we have the problem… That is something we all can be thankful for and praise Him for His goodness and grace.

Back in the Good Old Days of my teenage years, I was in a garage band called the “Mystic Blue”. Garage bands were popular in the 1960’s as kids would start a band with guitars, drums, etc… And they usually practiced in somebody”s garage ( probably because it was too loud to be in the house). Our first “gig” ( concert) was quite an experience. We had matching outfits.. Blue pants, blue Oxford shirt & sandals…We had gone to the hardware store and got some blue flood lights and mounted them on a long board. We had a foot switch that I operated while playing my bass guitar.

Our outside concert started out ok but then it began to rain… We were in the middle of a loud song in which I started clicking the blue lights on and off with my foot…in a wet sandal…POW! Quite a shock! I was jumping up and down and ever time I came down on that foot switch…POW! Another shock and up in the air I went and then back down and did it again and again…The band & audience thought I was dancing & putting on a show…my hair has been more curly ever since that “electrifying performance”. I even may have accidentally did the first ever laser light show…

You know there are some days we do well just to survive and call it a day. Let me share with you some things the Lord has taught me and about how to keep going even when things aren’t going well in your life:

1. Remember God loves you and He will not give up on you. I really like the way my friend, Dr. Nelson Price translates Hebrews 13:5 ” God has said I will never, no never, not ever abandon you, send you back, leave you behind, give up on you or cause you not to succeed. ” Wow, that is how much God loves and cares for you and me even when everything else in our life doesn’t make sense. Isn’t that amazing how powerful is His love for us cannot be limited by our circumstances?

2. Stop and count your blessings each day. “Be joyful always, pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18 NIV). Don’t just keep your mind on all the negative things going on around you, rather focus on what specific things you can be thankful for and pray for others.

3.Do something constructive today for yourself and others. Call a friend or family member you haven’t talked to in a while and reconnect. Start reading a good book that would uplift you. Take a walk at lunch or get together with someone for a meal. There are so many little things we can do to give ourselves a break and refresh our spirit. This will enable us to keep going and keep our balance in daily lives.