Do Not Be Anxious: Command or Comfort?

Welp, I almost died last night. 

It was 2 am and I was dead asleep. I’m talking deeeeep REM, which is honestly rare for me because I’m a mom. And if it’s not the kids themselves that are keeping me awake, it’s usually thoughts about them, or the house chores, or my never ending to do list, or me trying to figure out the meaning of something somebody said to me two weeks ago…you get the idea.

But no, on this night, I was actually, literally, definitely in a deep, deep, comatose sleep.

Until, I felt something shift in the bed. 

I opened my eyes slightly, willing whatever it was to leave me alone so I could return to my slumber.

But, to my horror, what I saw just about gave me a heart attack.

It was a skeleton. A glowing skeleton, crawling across the bed on all fours right towards me, screaming the same word over and over again.

“Mama….mama…..mama!”

I shot up and leaned back against the headboard, having no idea if I was awake or still dreaming, when my eyes finally adjusted to the scene in front of me.

It was my daughter. My precious daughter dressed in glow in the dark skeleton pjs.

Once I realized I was not in fact being attacked by a murderer, just a three year old in halloween pjs, my panic ridden brain switched from terror to tenderness. 

Even though I was the one jolted awake, she was the one who needed care. Something had startled her in the night, causing her to cry out to her mama for comfort. 

Now that my wits were about me and my fear had subsided, I couldn’t help but laugh a little inside. I took her in my arms, cradled her and kissed her forehead.

I said “There, there, baby. Everything is ok. Don’t be afraid, mama’s here.”

We snuggled up and drifted back into a deep sleep. Comforted by the fact that we were together and safe.

As I reflected on this wild night in the light of day, it got me thinking. When our children cry out to us in the night, is there any response we would ever consider giving them other than tender comfort? 

Do we scold them for having a bad dream?

Act annoyed that they are scared?

Send them away without so much as a word?

How much more then, does God desire to comfort us when we are faced with fear and anxiety, yet we call out to Him?

It reminds me of Phillippians chapter 4 and verse 6 where Paul writes,

“6 Do not be anxious, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God” 

Do. Not. Be. Anxious.

If I’m being honest, I have always struggled with that one. It’s a command that I’m afraid I have failed to adhere to time and time again. My husband, my kids, my job, my responsibilities. There’s no end to my worry about each of these things that are so precious to me. 

But on this night, as I was comforting my scared little girl, this verse hit differently.

Maybe this verse was not meant to be a command at all. 

A very similar phrase that we see throughout scripture is “Do not be afraid.” It appears in the scriptures 365 times to be exact. But when I read that phrase, I never think of myself as a failure for experiencing fear in the first place. I take that phrase as a comfort from my redeemer that, though I am afraid, I needn’t be. He will take care of the situation. He will take care of me.

Through this new lens, I read Philippians 4:6 again, only this time rather than squirming in my seat at the thought of my failure to “not be anxious,” I instead allowed God’s comfort to wash over me. It goes something like this:

“I know you are worried, daughter, but you don’t have to be. I am just a prayer away. Whatever is troubling you will all work together for your good. Don’t you know this? Don’t you remember all of the ways I have come through for you before? You can trust me. Call out to me and I will answer.”

And the most amazing thing happened next. I felt my anxiety morph into peace.

Why am I sharing this?

It is human to experience fear, worry and anxiety in this world, but in the midst of these emotions, you can also experience something holy: God’s comfort and peace. Don’t miss it. Don’t miss the opportunity to trust Him more.

Next time you feel a wave of anxiety, decide for yourself how to respond as the Father whispers “do not be anxious, dear daughter. Trust in me.”

I pray that this realization is as life changing for you as it was for me.

Release your anxiety and receive His peace.

Blessings,

– Chelsea

Want more resources from Live Simply in Christ?

Check out She Abides: A Girls Guide to Daily Quiet Time.

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Check out She Abides: Bible Reading Companion!

Go from unsure to unwavering in your faith with She Abides, the daily bible reading companion to She Abides: A Girls Guide to Quiet Time. With thoughtful questions and space for reflection, this graphic organizer will take your daily quiet time to the next level.

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