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The Antidote for Anxiety and Depression: Trust in Abba Father’s Care – Pt 54

Joy in God’s Peace!

In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.

– Psalm 94:19

I remember as a teenager going to secondary school in Mesopotamia one morning, I was waiting for transportation at the roundabout in Arnos Vale when my big sister met me there and embarrassed me in front of all the other people who were also waiting for transportation there. I wasn’t idling, all the buses that had passed so far were already filled with passengers from Kingstown so it was often difficult getting transportation in Arnos Vale. I felt so ashamed that I cried all the way to school. In school during the day I couldn’t concentrate, I cried all day thinking about what would happen when I get home. After school I was so anxious, I couldn’t wait to get the earliest bus home. From that day I was classically conditioned so every morning while waiting for a van at Arnos Vale I cried in anxiety praying and hoping that one would have at least one space just for me. I was afraid that my big sister would meet me there again. Also, every evening after school, I cried when I couldn’t get an early bus because they would often get filled up before they got to my school as there are other schools in Mesopotamia where students outside of that community attended. I dreaded getting home late.

I didn’t know what to do to fix my broken emotions fuelled by the complex trauma that I experienced which caused me to be in a state of constant fear, anxiety and depression. Even though I have heard many times before that in the Bible there is an answer for every question and a solution for every problem we may have, I am yet to discover answers for some things. However, I can testify that rejoicing in the Lord and worshiping God have been a source of strength and peace for me.

I believe that I can identify with the Psalmist who declared in Psalm 94:19 that, “In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.”

The word “thought” used by the Psalmist in this verse is the Hebrew word śarʿappiym, which means cognition or thought, a disquieting thought, an anxious feeling (Hebrew – Greek Key Word Study Bible).

The word “within” is the Hebrew word qereb, which means the nearest part, i.e., the centre, whether literal, figurative or adverbial (especially with preposition), bowels, inwardly, midst, purtenance, properly (Hebrew – Greek Key Word Study Bible and Strong’s Concordance, Hebrew Dictionary).

The Psalmist joyed because the Lord calmed his inner, secret, silent anxieties. Rejoicing was his way of demonstrating his gratefulness for the marvellous working of God in his soul to quiet those disquieting thought and anxious feelings that he secretly and silently grappled with in his bowels.   

I believe God wants you to take a leaf from the Psalmist book and do the same. You too can rejoice because God calms your every inner, secret, silent anxiety. Maybe you have not yet experienced the peace of God in your situation and you may not trust anyone to tell them too. However, today I would like to let you know that you can trust Jesus and tell Him all about them. He is Faithful and He WILL quiet your soul. Would you let Him today?

Shalom!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Abba, I worship You and my soul rejoices in Your faithfulness and goodness towards me. Thank You for calming my inner, secret, silent anxieties that I have grappled with for so many years. I declare that I will continuously rejoice because of the marvellous work You are doing in my soul. I declare that the peace of the Lord continuously quiets my soul in times of deep disquieting thinking. I pray this by faith in Jesus’ mighty name with thanksgiving. Amen!