Today Charles Stanley concludes his presentation of the six telltale signs of deeply ingrained anxiety.
5. Poor health. God created us with everything we need to respond to sudden emergencies. However, while the flight or fight response is God’s short-term provision, He didn’t design us to live in a perpetual state of extreme stress, which causes harm to our biological systems.
6. An impediment to spiritual growth. Dr. Stanley notes that the potentially most damaging effect of persistent anxiety is that it impedes God’s perfect plan for our lives. Fear deters us from trusting Jesus and becoming conformed to His character. We ask Why Me? rather than Father, what is it you’re teaching me? Dr. Stanley often says that “adversity is a bridge to a deeper relationship with God.” Our faith is fortified, our endurance strengthened, our character proved. We have a platform for ministry.
Anxieties also hinder us from truly hearing the Father and responding in obedience. Thus we miss out on God’s best for our lives. Dr. Stanley states that we must make a conscious effort to choose God over our apprehension and replace Satan’s lies with God’s Word. The author concludes:
“Courage is not the lack of fear, but the determination that there is One who is greater than anything that could come against us.”
Today’s question: Please share your response to Dr. Stanley’s statement that “adversity is a bridge to a deeper relationship with God.
Tomorrow’s blog: Shadow fears- Part 1