Section 11—Emotional Problems
Chapter 50—Worry and Anxiety (Part 1)
Worry, Not Work, Kills—It is not work that kills; it is worry. The only way to avoid worry is to take every trouble to Christ. Let us not look on the dark side. Let us cultivate cheerfulness of spirit.—Letter 208, 1903.
Dwelling Upon the Difficulties—Some are always fearing and borrowing trouble. Every day they are surrounded with the tokens of God’s love; every day they are enjoying the bounties of His providence; but they overlook these present blessings. Their minds are continually dwelling upon something disagreeable which they fear may come; or some difficulty may really exist which, though small, blinds their eyes to the many things that demand gratitude. The difficulties they encounter, instead of driving them to God, the only source of their help, separate them from him because they awaken unrest and repining.—Steps to Christ, 121, 122 (1892).
Worry Makes the Burden Heavy—I greatly fear that we are in danger, by worrying, of manufacturing yokes for our necks. Let us not worry; for thus we make the yoke severe and the burden heavy. Let us do all we can without worrying, trusting in Christ. Study His words, “All things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive” (Matthew 21:22). These words are the pledge that all that an omnipotent Saviour can bestow will be given to those who trust in Him. As stewards of the grace of heaven, we are to ask in faith and then wait trustingly for the salvation of God. We are not to step in before Him, trying in our own strength to bring about that which we desire. In His name we are to ask, and then we are to act as if we believed in His efficiency.—Letter 123, 1904.
Not the Will of God—It is not the will of God that His people should be weighed down with care.—Steps to Christ, 122 (1892).
Anxiety Tends to Sickness and Disease—When wrongs have been righted, we may present the needs of the sick to the Lord in calm faith, as His Spirit may indicate. He knows each individual by name and cares for each as if there were not another upon the earth for whom He gave His beloved Son. Because God’s love is so great and so unfailing, the sick should be encouraged to trust in Him and be cheerful. To be anxious about themselves tends to cause weakness and disease. If they will rise above depression and gloom, their prospect of recovery will be better; for “the eye of the Lord is upon them” “that hope in His mercy” (Psalm 33:18).—The Ministry of Healing, 229 (1905).
Cease Worrying (counsel to friend facing death)—I keep your case before me, and I am grieved that you are troubled in mind. I would comfort you if it were in my power. Has not Jesus, the precious Saviour, been to you so many times a present help in times of need? Do not grieve the Holy Spirit, but cease worrying. This is what you have many times talked to others. Let the words of those who are not sick, as you are, comfort you, and may the Lord help you, is my prayer.—Letter 365, 1904. (Selected Messages 2:253.)
Worrying Ourselves Out of the Arms of Jesus—If we educated our souls to have more faith, more love, greater patience, a more perfect trust in our heavenly Father, we would have more peace and happiness as we pass through the conflicts of this life. The Lord is not pleased to have us fret and worry ourselves out of the arms of Jesus. He is the only source of every grace, the fulfillment of every promise, the realization of every blessing….Our pilgrimage would indeed be lonely were it not for Jesus. “I will not leave you comfortless” (John 14:18), He says to us. Let us cherish His words, believe His promises, repeat them by day and meditate upon them in the night season, and be happy.—Manuscript 75, 1893. (Our High Calling, 120.)
Resting in Christ’s Love—Let us turn from the dusty, heated thoroughfares of life to rest in the shadow of Christ’s love. Here we gain strength for conflict. Here we learn how to lessen toil and worry and how to speak and sing to the praise of God. Let the weary and the heavy-laden learn from Christ the lesson of quiet trust. They must sit under His shadow if they would be possessors of His peace and rest.—Testimonies for the Church 7:69, 70 (1902).
https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/78.492#492
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You for the privilege of trusting You in every situation, even grief and the fiercest of temptation, including worrying, knowing that the trying of our faith develops patience, even perfect patience, so that as we fully trust we can be assured to have everything we need. Thank You for our sin-pardoning Ssvior, Your Son, Jesus, in whose name we draw near to Your throne. Please bless us to fully embrace the power of Your grace to obey Your commandments, to show our love for You in action, and to be always a living witness for You that we ourselves and others might be uplifted and encouraged in rightdoing. Through the power of Your Holy Spirit, please bless us to be all You would have us be and grant us the mind and love of Jesus that others might be drawn to You through how we live and what we say. Because we ask all these in the Awesome name of Your Son, Almighty Jesus the Christ, our Savior, we say Thank You and Amen.
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DID YOU KNOW THIS…?
¶My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.—James 1:2-4 KJV — The WORD OF GOD—It’s the only flesh that is safe to eat (meditate on) to live forever!]
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Do you feel sorrowful, disconnected—without a place to feel at home or useful? I pray this might show you the way forward. Watch…
https://www.youtube.com/live/2QB6fcwVuws?si=fsEvZU-rkI-BngfD
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Therefore, if at any time you fail to receive this post as a text, please visit
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where devotionals are first posted daily (almost without fail). From there devotionals are publicly shared to my page on FB, LinkedIn, and Signal (in My Story), and to a response-restricted group on WhatsApp (once again when I am able to find the time to successfully rebuild it).
NOTE: These began as daily texts to encourage my academy roommate and dear friend of nearly 50 years, until she suddenly passed March 2023. Now I continue to compile and send them to anyone who will receive them and to her family in honor of their mom. Lately, I have begun featuring consecutive chapter portions of a select Bible-based book.
If you agree to continue receiving them, then this is my personal gift to you; and in this way, I not only honor God but the memory of a very dear friend whom I desperately miss.
My personal prayer is that God will bless me to find ways to multiply this gift, so that we all may be encouraged to be found faithful in the sight of a Holy God, whenever Christ returns or our eyes are shut in the sleep of death.
It is a prayerful process that leads me to share from my personal study.
So please feel free to forward to your loved ones or to anyone, as God leads you. I’m calling them Barb’s Devotionals.