The older I get, the more quickly I can recognize exactly what’s happening when I start to feel anxiety bubbling up: I’ve taken my eyes off the Prince of Peace himself.
My senses are so easily drawn to the immediate pleasures of the world, causing me to stray off the path of obedience and stumble into the weeds of sin.
It’s not always obvious, and it’s not always immediate. Still, the pleasures we seek can show up as approval from others, a desire for physical beauty, a fancy degree or title, money, security, or a lavish vacation.
All things that aren’t bad on the surface, but when separated from what God intended for them, these desires can lead us into sin.
Maybe by seeking the approval of others, I’m getting caught up in the sin of pride. Maybe my desire for an excess of money is leading me closer to being trapped in the snares of greed.
Maybe it’s as quiet as worried thoughts about the future, leading me away from a surrendered trust in the Father and his will for my life.
And we know fear and anxiety are the natural consequences of sin.
But God is the author of love, the creator of peace itself. He created us out of love for love. God is perfect love – and perfect love wills the good of another.
“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18).
So when we align our will with his will for our lives and practice obedience, the natural result is always more peace.
As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.
– John 15:9-11
Obedience is at the very heart of the Gospel.
Where Adam disobeyed, causing the Fall, Jesus redeemed the whole world through an act of perfect obedience to the Father’s will.
Not obedience out of fear. Not blind obedience.
But perfect obedience, motivated by love of the Father.
When we follow Jesus’ example and ask the Father to align our will with his perfect will, the world’s opinions matter less.
Material things become less important.
Our attraction to sin slowly fades.
Obedience allows us to truly become who we were created to be. And that’s when anxiety begins to disappear.
When we love God so much that we surrender the moments in our day to his will, we turn toward the author of peace.
We will fall short sometimes, but we can take heart in knowing that peace is always found when we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and seek only to do the next right thing, moment by moment.
Faith >> Love >> Obedience >> Peace.
Amen!
