(A Poem for Battling Situational Anxiety)

On that fateful Sunday
I was reminded to shed the weight,
To leave my sin behind,
To faithfully run the race.

I was reminded that I fear.
Just as paper sticks to glue,
It’s a choice that I’d chosen—
One which no one made me do.

My thoughts could overcome
Every comfort known to man,
And I was asking God to fix it
Without looking at my hands.

The Lord in His kindness
Revealed the error of my ways.
When I put a pen to paper,
I suddenly felt shame.

Certain moments caused me stress
But I had no anxious bend;
At least that’s what I professed
Until reality kicked in.

And when it came, it came hard:
The conviction in my soul,
That I was not a victim,
Just a sinner in control.

And what should I expect
When I try to rule my life?
If my efforts make me just
Then why is it Christ has died?

I claimed to be so wise
Thus, trapped myself in thoughts.
Became futile in my thinking,
But professing I had not.

I painted a pretty picture,
Yet I didn’t fit the frame,
So I crammed myself in
Saying, “It’s supposed to feel this way.”

Yet when the glass shattered
The light pointed to the key:
It was in my imperfection
That Jesus died for me.

And what a gift that it was
To know that I’d lived in sin.
I was not harming myself.
I was dishonoring Him.

I exchanged all His glory
To serve the creature in my heart.
He gave me up to anxiousness
‘Cause I boasted I was smart.

Oh what a fool I was
To believe that I was wise,
To pity my circumstances
Before repenting from these lies.

Praise the Lord for His goodness
Because I didn’t have to learn.
He could’ve passed me over—
I knew God and chose to hurt.

But in all His righteous mercy
He brought me to my knees.
He gave me ears to hear
And gave my love the eyes to see.

The war is far from over
But that battle had been won.
I can joyfully face these struggles
‘Cause He’s strong though I’m undone.

I will boast in my weakness
Because Jesus died for me.
I will boldly love God’s people
Because His grace has set me free.

March 11, 2024

References:
Hebrews 12:1 —> “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us”
Romans 1:21-25 —> “For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever!”
Luke 5:32 —> “I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”
Matthew 13:16 —> “But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.”
2 Corinthians 12:9 —> “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”