ODB: GAD or God?
August 11, 2009
READ: 1 Peter 5:6-11
Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. —1 Peter 5:7
Are you a chronic worrier? Do you worry about bills, the future, health, debt, marriage issues? Has worry so consumed you that you have become “a fret machine”? If this describes you, perhaps you have generalized anxiety disorder, or GAD—a condition marked by a perpetual state of worry about most aspects of life. According to David Barlow, professor of psychology at Boston University, “the key psychological feature of GAD is a state of chronic, uncontrollable worry.” A little anxiety is normal, but constant worry is not.
Overwhelmed by suffering and persecution, the first-century Christians were driven out of Jerusalem and scattered throughout Asia (1 Peter 1:1-7). Many of these Jesus-followers were experiencing feelings of distress because of possible danger or misfortune. Peter encouraged these believers not to be filled with anxiety but to cast all their worries upon God (5:7). He wanted them to realize that it made very little sense for them to carry their worries when they could cast them on God who cared deeply about what happened to them.
Are you a chronic worrier? Let God be responsible for your anxieties. Stop worrying and start trusting Him completely. — Marvin Williams
Worry is a burden God never intended us to bear.
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We don’t have to take turns coming to Him, nor must we wait for just the right opportunity. At any time and in any place we can lift our voices to the Lord with full assurance that He will hear us. And He does more than just receive our requests–He comprehends, He understands, and He perceives exactly what His children ask for in faith. So pray. God listens! — Richard De Haan
You’ll never get a busy signal on the prayer line to Heaven.
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We have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us (v.1).
READ: Romans 5:1-11
Shortly before I moved to Africa, while at a New York City film festival reception, actor Tim Robbins and I engaged in a substantive conversation. We discussed causes and effects of war, international human rights issues, and why Hollywood celebrities are more likely than professional athletes to publicly endorse or oppose various political leaders.
When the topic turned to religion, Tim asked me, “What exactly is a ‘conservative Christian’ anyway?” Tim’s question convicted me. It seems that in the eyes and understanding of many, the body of Christ may be doing a better job stating our moral and political positions than conveying with humility the life-changing message of Romans 3:23-25, “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when He freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed His life, shedding His blood.”
How are our words, actions, and attitudes defining our faith and the gift of salvation that we have freely received through God’s grace? Are we—believers—free from quarreling and strife? (Isaiah 58:4). Are we helping to set the oppressed free and to care for the poor? (v.7). Has our light for Jesus dispelled the darkness that surrounds us? (v.10). Are we speaking and demonstrating the truth of the gospel in love? (1 Corinthians 13:1).
As followers of Christ, let’s ask God to show us how we can lovingly demonstrate what He has done for us and wants to do for all. —Roxanne Robbins
In what ways do your words and actions reveal God’s grace? How will you change to become a more winsome witness for Jesus?
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