Stabilize Your Soul

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Stabilize Your Soul

Joan Engeseth

A 2022 reality check: anxiety and worry are pervasive and lingering. The news of murders, natural catastrophes and terrorism are immobilizing, to say nothing of the personal challenges we face in our own homes such as illness, cancer, financial burdens, divorce, mental health crises and isolation.

Over the years I’ve concluded that I’m pretty good at worrying especially when it comes to my kids, grandkids, relatives and friends. Fear of the future and things I have no control over can tie my stomach into knots.

When worry and fear set in, when I become panicky, I have learned to read and absorb Philippians 4:4-8. Some days necessitate rereading those verses over and over as my heart slowly calms.

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone; The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

So, we have five verses with four admonitions that lead to one wonderful promise: the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Repeat: Will guard my heart and my mind.

In Max Lucado’s book Anxious for Nothing, we find an acronym to describe these favorite verses. That acronym is CALM.

C stands for celebrate God’s goodness. Rejoice in the Lord, and again I say, rejoice! I personally find that isn’t at all easy when something is really bothering me. But then I look at Paul who, before he wrote these words, had been beaten, imprisoned, deserted by friends, shipwrecked, and was awaiting a trial before Nero. However, instead of meditating on the disappointments and fear of what might come, Paul chose to rejoice in the Lord’s sovereignty. As Lucado says in his book, “Stabilize your soul with the sovereignty of God,” and realize that he reigns supreme over every detail of the universe.

A stands for ask God for help. This one is easy for me. By prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. As we ask God for help, I think it’s important to pray specifically. The Bible is full of examples where people asked Jesus for something specific. When the wedding ran out of wine, Mary didn’t say, “Help, Jesus.” She was specific: “They have no more wine.” Or in Genesis 24, Abraham’s servant prayed very specifically about how he should find a wife for Isaac.

L stands for leave your concerns with him. This is the hardest part for me. I’m good at giving my concerns to the Lord, but then I take them back throughout the day. We are told to wait on the Lord. When we do that, God promises to renew our strength.

Finally, the M stands for meditate on good things and on things that are praiseworthy and noble and pure and lovely. I used to sort of ignore this last section on meditating. However, we are told to do it. I need to intentionally stop meditating on my crisis and fears and think about the good things. I’ve found that listening to Christian music is one way that helps me meditate on God’s goodness throughout the day.

So, in doing these things—Celebrate, Ask, Leave the problems, Meditate on him—I have found that I am less worried, I have fewer knots in my stomach, and I enjoy an enhanced faith.

Dear Lord, You calmed the storms; would you calm the storm I am feeling right now? You calmed the hearts of your disciples; would you calm the chaos within me? You told them to fear not; please tell me the same. I am exhausted from worry; please give me a spirit of calm.