Anxiety reveals pride

I am trying to figure this out.  I have never thought of being anxious as being prideful.  However, the idea makes sense.  If I am anxious, it's because I am worried about whether or not something is going to happen.  If I allow God to be in control by humbling myself, then I would not worry.  It's not about my will, it's about His.

1 Peter 5:6-7
 ⁵ In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,
   “God opposes the proud
   but shows favor to the humble.”^[a]
 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. ⁷ Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
(Biblegateway.com)

Signs of spiritual health

are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self control.  (Fruits of the spirit; Gal 5:22)

Love always trusts

I think this means that loving others means we give them the benefit of the doubt.  Instead of assuming the worst or judging that someone has poor motives, we assume the best and "trust" their motives are pure.   Trusting as a way to love means we believe someone will come through.  They will make it.  Trusting means we can rely on someone to do the right thing.  

Perhaps trusting someone requires time.  After all, we have all been let down, but we can't all be perfect.  Trusting someone as a way to love means we keep trusting even when we are let down.  We trust that they will eventually do the right thing or that they will eventually come through.

If love always trusts then we can't give up trusting even when let down.

Love always protects

When I think of protection as a way to show love, I think of guarding my wife and son's physical safety.  I think of chivalry with sword fights.   Perhaps a more realistic way to protect those I love is through my speech.  When I think of love that protects, I realize I should work hard to defend the honor of my loved ones through the things I do and do not say.

Slow to speak and slow to become angry...

When I focus on this scripture, I think of the importance of controlling my speech and trying to maintain an eternal perspective during times when emotions are running high.  However, I recently was reminded that 90% of communication is conveyed through nonverbal means.  Our body language and tone can sometimes speak louder than words.

Lately, I have been thinking that if I just keep my mouth shut and listen that I would be heading in the proper direction following this scripture.  But I think another part of being slow to speak includes the nonverbal messages I may send as well.

The above referenced scripture is James 1:19

Being able to worry proves

we can meditate.  I believe worry is meditation, or focused thought, on problems or bad things that could happen.  Those of us who have no problem worrying can rest assured that we can meditate.  The battle is choosing where we shift our focus.  Worry is an intense focus on our problems.  Worship is intense focus on God.  Both seem to be forms of meditation.

If we wait until we feel

like doing something we may not get much done.  I believe my feelings can sometimes not be trusted.  I am not sure where those feelings arise, but I have a few ideas.  What matters most is that I learn to ignore certain feelings.

I once heard our past pastor, John Hampton, say something like this: "If you act the way you want to feel eventually you will feel the way you want to act."  For about 5 years, I never felt like running.  Many said all I had to do was run for 5 months and it would become a habit.  Well, it wasn't until after 5 years that I actually began missing running when I didn't do it.

Had I listened to my feelings, I would never have become a runner.  Now, if I don't run, I feel like I haven't taken a shower, brushed my teeth, eaten breakfast, etc.  In other words, I feel like something is missing.

Acting confident even when

we don't feel confident may sometimes be necessary.  Our feelings can sometimes lie to us.  Confidence based upon knowledge and not feelings should provide a much more consistent basis for living.

If progress is always preceded by change

then hopefully I will get better at corn hole.  I didn't want to do it, but I changed my throwing style.  Instead of throwing the bag horizontally, I changed to vertical.  This was tough.  I wanted to do it my way.  However, my way was just not working as well as the vertical throwing style my friends at work use.