Whenever your heart starts to be anxious about the future, preach to your heart and say, ‘Heart, who do you think you are to be afraid of the future and nullify the promise of God? No, heart, I will not exalt myself with anxiety. I will humble myself in peace and joy as I trust this precious and great promise of God — He cares for me.’ (John Piper)

Heart, who do you think you are to be afraid of the future and nullify the promise of God?

This is me. I once had a mentor/coach challenge me that my walk and talk weren’t lining up. He didn’t mean I was living hypocritically, he meant that I spoke truth and inspiration and wisdom, but hardly listened to it myself. He spoke those words to me my senior year of high school. I’m now in my senior year of college, and am still challenged by the prompt of that question. Do my walk and talk match up? Thankfully, I have matured some (“it is by grace I am what I am,” hallelujah), but find myself reflecting on this even still.

I feel like the Holy Spirit catches my attention most with this reminder in areas where I am anxious, or stressed, or weary. Is it those moments I so quickly justify my anxiety, saying things like “I have to worry about this, if I don’t things may not come out like I hope they will,” or “How I perform, choose, act, etc will determine acceptance, or love, so it needs to be perfect.”

But alas, God is bigger. And He cares for me.

When I let “He cares for me” sink in, I find the most beautiful reality. What that statement truly means, something I often forget, is that not only is God in control, not only does He orchestrate every detail, not only is He sovereign over all things, but He does everything with my best good in mind. By way of Jesus and His blood-bought grace, God delights in me! He cares what happens to me, and He wants good for me.

This being true, there is freedom is surrendering my fear, worries, and all that makes me anxious (from the silly things to the mountainous things).

So heart, humble yourself before a Father who cherishes you, and will take care of you, and trust Him.