Counseling Through Your Bible Handbook (76 page)

(P
HILIPPIANS
2:13).

—
Live in God’s forgiveness
. God has extended you forgiveness for all your sins (past, present, and future), so confess and repent of anything offensive to God. Do not set yourself up as a higher judge than God by refusing to forgive yourself. Accept that you will not be made fully perfect and totally without sin until you stand in the presence of Christ and are fully conformed to His image.

“Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure”

(1 J
OHN
3:2-3).

—
Benefit from past mistakes
. Decide to view your mistakes as opportunities to learn needed lessons. Ask God what He wants to teach you from your mistakes, listen to Him, and learn. Then move forward with a positive attitude.

“We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose”

(R
OMANS
8:28).

—
Form supportive, positive relationships
. Minimize the time you spend with negative, critical people, whether family, friends, or coworkers, and seek out those who encourage and support you both emotionally and spiritually.

“He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm”

(P
ROVERBS
13:20).

—
Formulate realistic goals and plans
. Prayerfully set some reasonable, achievable goals that capitalize on your strengths, and make a plan for how you will accomplish those goals.

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize”

(1 C
ORINTHIANS
9:24).

—
Identify your heart’s desires
. Make a list of the things you have dreamed of doing but have never attempted because of a fear of failure or a lack of self-assurance. Plan the steps you need to take in order to accomplish your desires.

“Delight yourself in the L
ORD
and he will give you the desires of your heart”

(P
SALM
37:4).

—
Plan for success
. Anticipate any obstacles to accomplishing your goals and desires, and plan strategies for overcoming them.

“May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed”

(P
SALM
20:4).

—
Celebrate each accomplishment
. Your feelings of self-worth and self-confidence will grow with the acknowledgment of each accomplishment. Rejoice with the Lord and those who are close to you over the things God and you have done together.

“In the presence of the L
ORD
your God, you and your families shall eat and shall rejoice in everything you have put your hand to, because the L
ORD
your God has blessed you”

(D
EUTERONOMY
12:7).

God heals the broken heart when you give Him all the pieces. He washes the wounds…mends the mind…tallies the tears. He empowers you to rise above abuse and become all He created you to be.

—JH

Psalm 62:5-6

Psalm 34:18

1 Peter 2:19,21

Psalm 107:20

John 8:36

Romans 12:2

Luke 4:18

Colossians 3:13

For additional guidance on this topic, see also
Anger, Childhood Sexual Abuse, Codependency, Crisis Intervention, Critical Spirit, Cults, Depression, Domestic Violence, Dysfunctional Family, Fear, Hope, Identity, Manipulation, Marriage, Prejudice, Rejection, Salvation, Self-worth, Suicide Prevention, Verbal and Emotional Abuse, Worry
.

I
t can keep you up at night, it can siphon away energy, it can consume your life. Worry comes so naturally—that’s why it needs to be dealt with
supernaturally
. The cares and concerns that weigh you down are to be cast upon Jesus, through prayer. Then His peace, not worry, will characterize your life. Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Worry can keep us stuck in the ditch of doubt and therefore is displeasing to God. Worry is sin when it keeps us stuck in…

Worry reveals you don’t believe God when He says He will provide all that you need.

“The L
ORD
will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail”

(I
SAIAH
58:11).

Worry reveals you are taking on personal responsibility and concern for things that God has already promised to provide.

“I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?…Do not worry…about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own”

(M
ATTHEW
6:25-31,34).

Worry destroys your physical body, which is the “temple of the Holy Spirit.” It can bring about a host of physical ailments, such as high blood pressure, heart trouble, headaches, colds, and stomach disorders.

“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body”

(1 C
ORINTHIANS
6:19-20).

Worry shifts the focus of attention from the all-sufficient power of Christ to your human insufficiency and insecurity. Ultimately, worry can undermine your Christian witness to others by presenting God as impotent and unworthy of praise.

“Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven”

(M
ATTHEW
5:16).

“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things”

(C
OLOSSIANS
3:2).

God’s Word reveals the following steps for breaking free from the ditches of worry. As you travel the path toward anxiety-free living, it will converge into the Road to Transformation. Here, your faith and God’s power will intersect to produce the peace He promises for sojourners who cast their cares on Him.

— Express your heart’s desire to do God’s will (Psalm 40:8).

— Admit you have sinned and chosen to go your own way (Psalm 51:4).

— Give Christ control over your life, allowing Him to be your Lord (Mark 8:34-36).

— Tell God you want Him to do His will in and through you.

“The worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful”