If you’ve ever heard me talk about my past, then you know that my life hasn’t been all ‘silver spoons and roses’. There was molestation, rape, physical and emotional abuse by my ex-husband and a divorce.
So, I get it. I understand how past thoughts can come up and try to plant hatefulness in our hearts and turn us into bitter people.
But, the Bible warns us not to allow a root of bitterness to grow; because, if we start with a bitter root we’ll just grow a bitter tree. God didn’t call us to be bitter…He calls us to be better!
How do we get better? We stop thinking about hateful things.
But sometimes, anxious thoughts just roll right through our minds like, “I don’t think I can make it!” That’s actually hatefulness! That’s hate against our self and against our future.
Anxiety is just hate focused on us and our ability to perform.
It’s fear that we won’t be enough. (Let me take the pressure off you, right now.) We are never going to be enough, on our own. But,we can do all things with Christ who strengthens us!
Recognize that we can’t be hateful and grateful at the same time.
We have to replace our negativity with grateful thoughts. Let’s not use our prayer time as a gripe session. God operates by our faith! So, just airing all our complaints doesn’t give Him much to work with.
Let’s, purposely, find something to be thankful for and say it out loud, or write it down.
• God, thank you, for my spouse and help me to be a better partner.
• Thank you, for my kids and that You’ve entrusted me to be their parent.
• Thank you, for this job that provides for my family and will prepare me for my next promotion.
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;” Philippians 4:6 (NKJV)
Where the mind goes…the man follows. Faith and fear are exactly the same, only they’ll lead us in completely opposite directions.
Let’s get out of fear, get back into faith and make a pledge. “I will not be hateful any more, not to anyone…especially to me!”
Thank you Nicole,
I truly needed this I’m in the process of medical testing and awaiting results. I’ve been anxious all week, but last night I allowed my faith to be bigger than my fear. Thought I patiently awaiting the results I’m also faithfully awaiting. Not allowing fear to rule me. Regardless of what the results are it’s going to be a testimony.
I needed to hear this today. Thank God for the message through you.
It has been a week that has felt like a rollercoaster, when I read the “Anxious For Nothing”, I realized how much time I was putting into anxiety, fear, and “what if”. Yesterday when I went online I made a list of things that are positive that I can focus on, my day got better and better. I was mad this past week that I am not the person I was 25 years ago, Then I started to look up positive verses in the Bible. I have to keep reminding the fact that I should know that God is there. I am excited about being able to help people and how through the Church I receive encouragement and I want to help people. Operating in fear and experiencing a lack of Faith scares me so I am making a positive affirmation poster so when I wake up I will do my affirmations, it will also be there if I start having a bad day, I can change the way my day is going anytime,. I have been Cancer Free for two years, that is AWESOME, I found Faith Church and God and Jesus again, that is AWESOME, I have a community of people that I can talk to and I am learning to step outside my comfort zone and call them or text them, that is AWESOME!!!
Excellent
My God this a Powerful Word!!
Bitterness will not reap any fruit because your soil is so dead and dry; so whatever seed you sow will not bear fruit.
Bitterness will kill your spirit, its rooted in your heart and will only hurt you. It affects everyone around you as well.
Jesus is the answer to break this stronghold, to pull it down and make you whole. Your brokenness comes from your bitter heart and you must allow God to create in you a clean heart, a renewed right spirit through transformation of your mind. Glory Glory Glory this is good!
Thank you Pastor Nicole for sharing.
Amen!!???? Thank you Pastor Nicole!
I am in the process of leaving a psychological and emotional abusive marriage. I pray every day for the the Lord to sustain me. It takes everything I have to “not go there”. I know He’s got this!
anxiety is just hate focused on us and our ability to perform.
Recognize that we can’t be hateful and grateful at the same time.
Where the mind goes…the man follows. Faith and fear are exactly the same, only they’ll lead us in completely opposite directions.
-these are all such powerful and insightful statements! That was directly from God! Thank you!
WOW Faith and Fear are exactly the same… I’ve never heard that before but oh Boy is it powerful!!!!
Thanks for the word on today, so life changing 🙂
Thank you Nicole! My mother passed on to glory a month ago and I keep hearing this small voice telling me I won’t make it without her. Thankfully I am saved and spirit filled but it gets hard sometimes. I will put some of this on note pads and hang on my mirrors. I need a constant reminder that I can do all things through God who strengthens me! Thank you!