Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

~Matthew 18:3-4 NIV

Are you anxious, Beloved? It has been a time of great shaking for most of us, and the memory of peaceful days can almost feel like a dream.

It may feel frightening to relinquish control, but it isn’t foolishness to trust God, Beloved.  It is wisdom, and with it come peace and a glorious inheritance. Trust Daddy God with childlike faith this day. Here are some scriptures to meditate on in anxious times:

>”When anxiety was great within me, Your consolation brought me joy” (Psalm 94:19 NIV).

>”Cast all your anxieties on him, for he cares about you” (1 Peter 5:7 ESV).

>”Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will he clothe you” (Luke 12:27-28a NASB).

>”Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3-4 ESV).

What is your go-to scripture when you are feeling anxious?

Father, when I am anxious and have lost my way, thank You that Your love and faithfulness are forever unchanging. Turn back time in my heart and mind to remember the days before peace slipped through my fingers.  Cause me to revisit Your faithfulness of the past, and fan into flame, hope and faith for the future. 

Lord, I turn a deaf ear to the anxious whispers of the world, and tune my ear to You.  Let me hear Your voice calling, so my prodigal heart can turn and run home.  May my weary arms be unburdened at Your doorstep.  And in Your waiting arms, may I be reunited with what I thought was lost — joy, rest and the childlike faith that holds my peace.  

In Jesus’s Name, Amen. ❤️

Genre: Non-fiction

Copyright 2021: A Prayer for the Anxious: Julie Souza Bradley Lilly: All Rights Reserved

Meet Our Contributor

JULIE SOUZA BRADLEY LILLY

Julie Souza Bradley Lilly is the writer of Prayers of a Ragamuffin Warrior, a self-professed chief-cook-and-bottle-washer at Gift of Thorns Facebook ministry.

She is a devotion writer for VineWords: Devotions and More, specializing in the area of prayer, and a contributing author to Love Knots: Stories of Faith, Family, and Friendships (VineWords Publishing).

When asked about who she is, Julie is quick to tell you she is a worshipper, a servant, blessed wife, step-mom of four adult children, caregiver, retired chiropractor, writer, and most-importantly, a forgiven daughter of God. With thirty-plus years in healthcare, Julie is passionate about seeing the broken come to receive healing and find wholeness in right-relationship with the Creator. Through her own multiple injuries and PTSD, a traumatic brain injury and other health concerns, she has found the generosity of God to be true to His Word in turning all things together for the good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.

For those entrusted with a thorn in the flesh, one of Julie’s greatest joys is to see the discovery of the treasure the Father hides, tucked in among the thorns. Julie shares that God is good and His mercies endure forever. It is Julie’s prayer that the body of believers will honor the Lord and encourage one another toward wholeness, spiritual growth, and mountain-moving faith.

For more encouragement, visit Julie’s websites. At Prayers of a Ragamuffin Warrior, Julie shares encouraging articles with prayers. At Gift of Thorns, Julie and her contributor team share powerful and life-changing input, inspiring readers to passionately pursue God.

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