Tag: Abba Father

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MY ANXIOUS LIFE

Ever since Bill’s illness made landfall in November 2026, I’ve battled a lot of anxiety. Right now, he has stayed out of the hospital since the end of May; however, nothing is guaranteed. Every day, my dear husband has a ritual. He records his weight, blood pressure, blood sugar, and blood oxygen. All are indicators of whether his meds are still assisting his kidneys and heart to work together. It’s an extremely delicate balance. There is a lot to get anxious about.

TRIGGERS FOR ANXIETY

Every morning I get up and look at the numbers Bill has already recorded. Bad numbers usually trigger my anxiety. A wall of fear rises when his numbers go up. Instantly, I go through a checklist of everything he has eaten in the past day. Too much salt? Too little exercise? Forgot to take his meds? Am I panicking, or should I take him back to the ER?

BEST THINGS TO DO

Not a healthy initial response. I say I believe God, but I mentally go everywhere else first. Not good! Very slowly I am learning that when the tides of fear and anxiety flood my mind, the best thing I can do is:

  • Slow down
  • Examine the influx of emotions
  • Figure out what exactly I’m afraid of
  • Seriously think through what my response says about Who God is in my life.

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS

Do I trust that I can be broken and honest before Him?

Is He really my Father, the one who has patience with my waywardness?

Does He totally care regarding all our messy details?

BRINGING MY WILL TO HIS

What do my prayers say about my honest beliefs about God and His character? I love the Puritan prayer: “Let me know that the work of prayer is to bring my will to Yours, and that without this it is folly to pray” (Valley of Vision). I’ve prayed many prayers full of folly. This is not what God wants.

CANNOT ACCOMPLISH IT ON MY OWN

My new approach may seem counterintuitive, but I am slowly learning it is healthier. I cannot accomplish a trusting relationship by trying to be better, do better, or live better. Christ’s work on the cross solely saved me, and only Christ can keep me. My job is to keep bringing everything to Him and letting Him work on my stubborn, anxious heart.

ABBA FATHER!

For all who are allowing themselves to be led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading again to fear [of God’s judgment], but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons [the Spirit producing sonship] by which we [joyfully] cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ The Spirit Himself testifies and confirms together with our spirit [assuring us] that we [believers] are children of God. And if [we are His] children, [then we are His] heirs also: heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ [sharing His spiritual blessing and inheritance], if indeed we share in His suffering so that we may also share in His glory” (Romans 8:14-17)

WHAT TO DO FIRST

He has it covered, even when I don’t know how to pray. My job is to bring it to Him FIRST! Let God carry it all, even my anxiety.

Great reading: “Relaxed: Walking with the One Who Is Not Worried about a Thing” by Megan Fate Marshman

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deadly fear

Every morning my husband Bill must record his weight, blood sugar, and blood pressure. The numbers indicate whether his medications are still working and if his kidneys, heart, and lungs are functioning at capacity. If the numbers go awry, he will head to the hospital again. Bill’s ongoing illness overflowed the levees that previously held back the normal anxieties I deal with. The past eight months have left me ragged. Joy is often in short supply because fear kills joy.

i hold tight to fear

Recently, I skimmed over Romans 8:14-17 without letting it ground me. The poisonous tendrils of fear choke the joy that God wants to take root in my heart. Instead, I look at Bill’s daily numbers and my heart returns to the darkness of Bill’s five hospital stays.  I hold tight to fear.

But do I have to remain paralyzed? Untethered from Abba Father? Do I have a choice whether to remain a resident of the land of fear?

abba father!!

We are never assured of what the next day will bring or what the numbers will be. But God says, “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom” we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’” The Spirit himself bears witness with my spirit that I am a child of God, and if His child, then an heir—heir of God and a fellow heir with Christ. Regardless of the numbers, I can choose to relocate to the truth of God’s Word.

what can break the chains of fear?

What can break me free of the chains of fear? I seriously take up the double-edged sword of God’s Word and accept its power. Its strength alone cuts away at the thicket of fear that so easily encompasses me.

the battle

This is a huge battle for me. I take the words of the Apostle Paul. He knew a thing or two about fear. “Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God” (Romans 8:26-27).

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for me, who can be against me?” (Romans 8:31)

Fear, get in my rear-view mirror! I’m breaking out of the land of fear.

Click to listen to Hannah Overton’s story.

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MY ADOPTION

Does your mind ever wander down deep rabbit holes and land on past experiences?  For me, some of those memories are good, where my mind loves to linger.    Then there are times when painful memories pop up from the shadows.

TRIP DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE

Recently, I experienced one of those ugly trips down a rabbit hole.  I remembered speaking before thinking and unintentionally hurting a friend.  The echoes of that memory left me feeling yucky, simply yucky.  I can’t think of a better word to describe the gnawing in the pit of my gut mixed with deep regret.  The incident that evoked such emotion happened years ago and was resolved. But there I was, remembering the sickening feelings again, as if the incident had just occurred.

FEELINGS OF SHAME

However, something changed this time.  As the yucky emotions threatened to smother me, the Holy Spirit helped me identify those feelings as SHAME! Now, it would be legitimate to feel this way if I hadn’t asked for forgiveness. But I had, and there was no reason to keep reliving it.  Doesn’t God forget our confessed transgressions? 

WHAT GOD SAYS

This was worth investigating, leading me to look up some verses on God’s forgiveness.  Here are just a few:

Isaiah 43:25 – “I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake and remembers   your sins no more.”

Jeremiah 31:34b & Hebrews 8:12 – “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

MY IDENTITY

Not only are my sins are completely wiped away, but I remember who I am in Christ.  An adopted Child of God! “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery leading again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit himself bears witness to our spirit that we are God’s children.” (Romans 8:15-16)

MY ADOPTION CERTIFICATE

Adoptive parents strongly desire to adopt.  They look forward to the day with great anticipation. The adoption certificate proves whose family the child now belongs to.  Scripture states that those who put their faith in Jesus are adopted into God’s family according to His will!  Our sins are wiped clean by the blood of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is our spiritual adoption certificate. 

I now carry in my heart my spiritual adoption certificate.  When shame tries to creep in, I remember who I am in Jesus.  He paid too high of a price for me to continue living with those yucky feelings of shame. My Abba Father declares proudly that I am His, and His alone.

AS FAR AS THE EAST IS FROM THE WEST

Are you an adopted child of God who becomes trapped in the rabbit hole of shame? It is an issue that needs to be dealt with. Remember the Lord urges us to confess and turn our backs on sin. If you are feeling shame long after you experienced forgiveness, you too have a spiritual adoption certificate. Our Abba Father is the One who blots out our transgressions for His own sake. He remembers our sins no more. “As far as the eastern horizon is from the west, so He removes the guilt of our rebellious actions from us.” (Psalm 103:12) This is the wonderful freedom of being fully forgiven in Christ Jesus.