Welcome my friend come on in & we’ll enjoy a cuppa together. I’m having a cup of coffee, which is said to be good for our overall health, accompanied by a toasted slice of gf Almond, Apricot & Coconut loaf. Delicious!
Today’s post is the third in our series on dealing with Anxiety.
Patience in Quietness
Have you noticed that as human’s we are an extremely impatient lot?
Last week we reflected upon the positive effects aging can have upon our Anxious Thoughts
And I agree with these research findings to a certain extent.
But there are times when I find myself getting impatient & anxious in pursuing quietness!
I know that sounds such a contradiction in terms ‘impatient & anxious in quietness‘!
So let me define the type of quietness I’m talking about here.
The quietness I’m focusing upon is the quietness of the soul.
That quietness of spirit that comes from a soul assured that God is in control, no matter what comes.
That undisturbed state of mind & confident trust in God for a situation’s outcome.
My prayer
For decades my prayer has been to come to that place in God.
That place of being able to sit in His immovable peace & quietness, no matter what comes my way.
And I don’t mean in a disassociative way but rather being able to be confident in a non anxious & undisturbed peace of mind.
Knowing that my heavenly Father has the situation in His capable hands & there is absolutely no need to be concerned.
My lovely hubby grimaced when I shared this desire & prayer with him years ago.
Because being opposite in temperament to me, as shared in New Delhi & Chai tea…, he could see that I would be sent many opportunities for this prayer to be answered.
“No pressure, no diamonds.” — Mary Case
And he was right!
You see my friend, God’s peace & assurance is always available to us, especially to those that love Him.
However, we actually have to allow God’s peace & assurance in, in each & every situation that is presented to us.
The Perfect Gentleman
For Jesus is the perfect gentleman He won’t force His peace & assurance upon us.
In other words we need to make a choice; either to give in to anxious imagings or hand those concerns over to our Heavenly Father through Jesus, trusting Him for the outcome.
Over the last few weeks we have reflected on how we do this…
And reiterated that its coming to our Heavenly Father in prayer first & foremost, before our concerns morph into anxiety.
Entering the prayer chamber
However, we also found that anxiety can sneak up on us before we realise it, causing our peace of mind to be totally disturbed.
And when in that mindset of anxious & racing thoughts it can be really difficult to quieten ourselves enough to pray.
So we need some practical strategies…
I find the following strategies work for me, they may be helpful for you too.
Daytime strategies,
I go for a walk in nature, there’s something about God’s creation that really calms anxious thoughts & before I know it I find myself chatting to God as I walk.
Or if weather doesn’t permit a walk…
I grab a cuppa, treat & my journal then sit & write out my thoughts. And before I realise it my thoughts have turned to prayer.
Night time strategies,
If my anxious thoughts have me tossing & turning in bed, I get up.
I then either read for a little while which distracts my mind long enough to be able to then bring my concerns to God in prayer.
Or
I journal out my thoughts which is really a type of prayer because I always address them to the Lord.
Being able to write out our concern & pray brings a wonderful clarity & quietness to the soul.
And is such a practical way to be able to see God working in our life & the lives of our loved ones as our concerns are addressed.
It also helps our impatience to see that God is actually working to answer our prayers ever so patiently.
I’d love to hear some of your strategies my dear friend. You’re most welcome to share.
Until next time,
Jennifer
You’re most welcome to join me in The Reading Nook
or in Prayer
© 2021 Jennifer M. Ross, teawithjennifer.blog, All Rights Reserved. Photo by S Migaj on Pexels.com
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I am learning that scriptural memory is a great reset button and stress reliever.
That’s a great strategy Michele! Lovely having you drop by today. 🤗
Journaling helps. I do that too. 🙂
Also, I listen to gospel/ faith music till I get my mind set in the right place.
That’s a great strategy Herry! Lovely having you drop by today 😀
I have found that reciting either the Lord’s Prayer of the 23rd Psalm allows me to fall asleep when sleep eludes me.
They’re great prayers Elizabeth & I love that strategy. Thank you for sharing today 😊
You are welcome. They remind me of the 12 step KISS(keep it simple stupid!)
I love this wisdom and practical solutions. Thank you.
Thank you Lauren, lovely having you join me in a cuppa today 😊
Spiritual Growth like the formation of diamonds can be a slow painful process, but the end result is amazing, sparkling beauty. 💎
Yes, it can be a painful process but you’re right the end result is precious eternal beauty 😀
Jennifer I felt so rested here today. I love the lesson on quietness, as I seek for that place almost daily. How my heart longs for moments in His presence without the noise of the world or my thoughts! Your strategies are also very helpful!
Thank you Donna & I’m delighted that you enjoyed your time here today sweet friend ❤️
Yes, sitting in God’s presence without the world’s demands is truly comforting.
Jennifer, thank you for addressing anxiety. Learning to be still and embrace quietness are so helpful in dealing with anxiety. I have been searching scripture for passages that help me with anxiety and then saving them to refer back when the enemy attacks!
Blessings my sweet friend!
That’s a wonderful strategy Pam! That has a twofold purpose too, spending time with the Lord in His Word & then as a sheild of comfort when under attack! Blessings to you too sweet friend ❤️
Jennifer, you bring practical steps to the art of quietness, and Mary Case’s quote, “No pressure, no diamonds,” sums up the whole process. For me, it has been years of cultivating an inner quietness and place of peace for the Prince of Peace to inhabit.
And yes, I used many of the ways you used – journaling, walking in nature, staring outside the window when the weather didn’t permit a walk – to cultivate a place of quiet peace. Now, I can ‘tune’ into this place in a moment. Like tuning a guitar that takes a newbie 30 minutes to tune and an experienced player a minute to tune. We keep ‘tuning’ into Him, and releasing ourselves to Him, and it becomes easier and easier until it becomes like breathing – we don’t even realize we’re doing it because it is such a way of life. Keep persevering! We already see your diamond sparkling.
Thank you Lisa for your kind words 💖
And thank you for sharing your strategies, I love how they have become such a wonderful & natural part of your journey with the Lord. ☺️
A non anxious and undisturbed peace – that we know can come only from God and I strive for that too.
It’s a journey of learning & leaning into our Heavenly Father as each challenge is presented to us… isn’t it Manu! ☺️
Nature definitely turns my thoughts elsewhere. Reading or doing a craft. Reminding myself of God’s truth. And being with friends.
I love your strategies Theresa! Friends are such wonderful company when we’re concerned. Thank you for sharing 😊