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Roots of Anxiety
by Donna L. Watkins
3 John:2 "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospers."
(Soul = mind, will and emotions)
Good health…. it is certainly escaping many in our world today. We pray for healing without realizing that our lifestyle choices may be at the root of our disease. That’s not to blame ourselves – it’s not to blame our parents who were reacting to their own emotional issues. It just means that we have to dig deeper at what John is saying above about health linked to our soul structure.
Many diseases are being linked to stress and anxiety. Pastor Henry Wright’s book, "A More Excellent Way" tells us that 80% of all diseases are stress-related and those statistics are from the medical world.
Okay….so what! In our current day and age, we believe there is no way to live without stress, so what good does that piece of news give us? We have been bombarded with messages from the media, from the workplace, and even from church that life must be lived in a rush – we’ve got to make every moment count. More, more, more of everything drives us to make more, more money while we have more and more debt to keep the hamster wheel spinning. The devil has us convinced there’s no way out and we believe him. It’s like the prisoner in a cell with the door unlocked, but he doesn’t believe he can leave, so he remains there – trapped, imprisoned for life.
Debt holds many in prison cells, but that door is unlocked also. We’ve been there and got free. We got out of debt and with our commitment, God led the way out as we stayed focused on the fact that we wanted out of that bondage ("the borrower is servant to the lender" – Proverbs 22:7)
This was in the 80’s and in the seven years it took us to pay off our credit cards, car loans and the mortgage, we had begun with an income below the level that allows for food stamps. God did miraculous things while we were simply faithful.
I could write a book on that, but let me refer you to a ‘Getting Out of Debt’ course that can direct you through the process with the money you’re now making and also The Frugal Life website for ideas on a multitude of ways to save money.
Much of our stress is based on emotional issues. Many feel driven to perform for acceptance in this world. Advertising and the push of the world upon you will convince you this is the only way to live, but it’s a lie. Imagine the task and greatness of Jesus’ mission and life on earth. He was here to show us an example of how to live. Did He hurry around? Was He stressed out? Was He patient? Was He loving? Was He compassionate? Is that how we live our lives? Are we walking in the steps of Jesus or the steps of the world? More on that in a future issue.
God offers a way out. We can deal with the emotional roots and find healing and a different way of seeing life and we can walk out of that prison door. Many have done it! I began this devotional three years ago because I read Pastor Wright’s book and prayed and begged God to show me His Truth about stress areas of my life. I had fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue and if you study those diseases, they always lead you back to an inward driven type of walk through life.
It took me awhile to admit I was driven. I called myself dedicated to a task, a do-it-now person, able to juggle many things at one time and enjoy the process of seeing things accomplished. Able to put in a good day’s work! I did admit to being a perfectionist.
In actuality I could put in a good week’s worth of work in one of my 18-hour days (and was quite proud of it) until my body rebelled and had fibromyalgia and fatigue. The female human frame was not made to handle the heavy loads of life. God created man to handle the burdens of life and woman to be a helpmeet.
The problem is that men haven’t been raised to be men any more and woman having the strong nurturing and survival instincts that they do have picked up the slack and taken over. That’s what kept me moving along. I had a husband who was raised to follow – not lead – and I was a born leader! No way around that!
Not true! When we want God’s Truth in our lives and walk the path to it He will move the earth to make it happen in your life. He can change your husband! Men, He can change your wife! There are some men out there who have simply given up trying to lead their families because the wife insists on ruling. God created us, He will mold and shape us if we allow Him to put us on the Potter’s Wheel.
After reading, digesting, and applying the principles in "A More Excellent Way" to my life I spent a few hours at Pastor Wright’s ministry center with a couple and came back home. Everything that was said and prayed about during that time was what God had shown me. It was all confirmed and I slept all the way home, got out of the car and went to bed, and woke up the next day without fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue.
Emotional roots! Unlocked prison cell doors! Is it time for you to walk out of some of your prison cells? Pastor Wright has been speaking around the world and has been on television with various hosts. God’s Truth is still Truth! I have never seen any other book that lays out specific diseases and ties them to specific emotional roots.
I’m not writing about this book to make sales. We donate every penny made on the sale of this book to organizations mentioned on the website. We don’t sell any other books. Our business model is to carry no inventory, but I’ve been so passionate about what this book has done in people’s lives that I invest the time to handle the inventory, ship the books, and maintain the website. Twice a year I focus on the book in an issue of this devotional. It has changed my life and the lives of so many others.
Read reviews about "A More Excellent Way" and/or read more about what diseases are mentioned in the book. The Table of Contents is also on the website.
If you’re in a prison cell and truly want out, the door is unlocked. Let God pick you up and carry you through! I pray this day that you will see the life that God has prepared for you on this earth. A life of Peace and Joy in Him.