11/23/11

Preaching to Myself

"do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." (Philippians 4:6)

This was the text I was going to preach on last week.

Maybe I will get to preach it this week.

It is hard to talk about not being anxious while struggling with not giving in to anxiety.

Maybe it started when my son broke his femur and spent 6 weeks in a cast and a month of physio. It could have been when my daughter fell on the ice figure skating right after that and developed a small fracture in her elbow. I guess it could have been the sinus infection I developed which has been followed by an abscessed tooth.

Or there is always work.

Whatever it was, this Scripture became more real to me as I began to question God and where He was in all this.

Maybe He was in the gentle reminder to be thankful in all circumstance! (1 Thess. 5:18) I found myself driving down the road giving thanks for my kids, their lives, etc.

Maybe it was in the unexpected way He answered a heartfelt prayer. On Sat. night I laid in bed and expressed my frustrations to God. My words were something like, "God, who pastors the pastor. I am tired and can use a little encouragement." The next day church started and for the first time in 3 years, no one walked in the door! 15 minutes later one of our members showed up and God used them to encourage Sarah and I for the next hour!

He is here, in the midst of these circumstances.

I'm so glad to know I am not alone!

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