Lent Devotion Guide #1 – Overcoming The Lies: Anxiety and Worry

MONDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2021

An Introduction
Hello Connect Church Family! As we prepare for the coming of Easter I will be sharing a sermon series titled, “Overcoming the Lies.” To accompany the sermon series and help us grow as individual Christians, we have also put together this devotional guide. I hope this will be a blessing to you! Every weekday, for the next several weeks, you are invited to join your church family and spend a few moments in this book. A number of people from our church community have contributed to make this booklet possible. On other days I have shared short thoughts on scriptures and left space for you to pray through what the scripture means for you. I hope you will join me and many others in your church family as we prepare for the coming of Easter!
-Pastor Adam Ricks

Read: Matthew 11:28-30 and Luke 12:24-34

In my experience, one of the most valuable things that God provides us to combat anxiety and worry is perspective. Perspective that contrasts the scale of our problems with the size and power of God and his love. There are many things in life that can cause anxiety: finances, relationships, health, work and school just to name a few. All of those things are very real and important parts of this life, but none of them should rule over us and consume us to the point of distraction from God. When I think of this life, I think of a fleeting time spent living in an imperfect world before one day being united with God and leaving the worries and troubles of this life behind. In the grand scheme of things, the concerns of this life are just not that important in relation to the eternal promise that God has made us. I am by no means saying that avoiding anxiety in this world is easy because it is not, and 2020 certainly taught us that hard lesson. However, when I take a step back and think about the perspective of my troubles in relation to an infinite God, it helps me to realize that things are going to be okay. Not perfect, but not crippling either. Matthew 11:28-30 and Luke 12:24-34 speak to God’s willingness to help us through hard times and provide what we need to make it through this life. While there will always be troubles and challenges throughout our days, weeks, and months, we can take comfort as Christians in the fact that God will be there to provide for us and help us through these seasons of life. God and his love are the one constant. That is a perspective that I believe can make a real difference.
-Shaun Rice (Member Connect UMC)