Humility and Anxiety sat down one day to have a conversation. Anxiety, with his brow wrinkled, sat there fretting and wondering if he would be allowed to speak first, and if he could communicate his thoughts clearly. Humility looked at Anxiety with kindness, and graciously asked, “So what is on your mind?” Without hesitating, Anxiety replied,
“I am not being noticed”
“My work is not appreciated”
“I am not receiving the praise I deserve”
“I don’t have enough time”
“I don’t have the right skills”
“I am not good enough”
“God made a mistake, I am not enough”
Pausing to take a breath, Anxiety asked, “Am I making myself clear?”
Humility smiled and gently said, “Yes.”
Anxiety retorted, “But what about you; you sit there so peacefully, like nothing gets under your skin. What’s your secret?”
Humility replied softly,
“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want”1
“God knows when I sit and when I rise” 2
“God is familiar with all my ways” 3
“God made me just right for this time and for this place” 4
“I am using the gifts and talents God has entrusted me with to the best of my ability” 5
“God fearfully and wonderfully made me, I am enough” 6
“Don’t you ever have doubts or fears?” wondered Anxiety.
“Of course I do,” said Humility. “The devil never ceases whispering into my ears. But I have become really good at throwing.”
“Throwing?” asked Anxiety.
“Yes,” said Humility. “It has taken years of practice, but now when Satan whispers doubts or fears into my heart, I take them and throw them with all my might into the deep, deep sea of Jesus’ grace7. And you know something, no matter how bad my aim is, they never come back to haunt me again. And the best part of all is the harder I throw them, the larger the splash of joy and peace that washes over my soul!”
Prayer
God of all grace, who called us to your eternal glory in Christ, we thank you that we can throw all our anxieties into your deep, deep sea of grace. Restore us, make us strong, firm and steadfast so that we can resist the devil. To you belongs all the power for ever and ever. Amen.
