Who Is Anxious

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

IT WAS THE YEAR 2000, and I was trying out for the cheerleading team at my new high school. I had always wanted to cheer, but I had no experience—and in my previous large school, no chance to make the squad. I walked into the gym for tryouts looking the part. I wore small black shorts and a tank top, and my hair was pulled up into a high ponytail. But I didn’t know any kick, flip, or cheer that would qualify me to be on the team, which had won the state tournament just a few years before. I had, however, skipped the eighth grade, making me the smallest and easiest high school freshman to toss into the air. That’s what we started with first—stunting.

I was introduced to the girls who would be holding me up in the air as I warily placed my feet—first the right and then the left—into their hands. In unison they called out, “Five, six, seven, eight!” Through each of those counts they guided me into the exact position needed to hoist me up into the air. I was directed to lock my knees, look straight ahead, and let them keep me evenly balanced. I was just to stand there . . . on their hands . . . held above these strangers’ heads.

Somehow I was able to complete every attempted stunt despite never having even heard of a Liberty, Arabesque, or Scorpion prior to that day. I was able to single and double down (spin on my way out of the air). I was able to do it all with ease because I just followed instructions and didn’t realize there was any real chance of injury. It was all going so well until someone mentioned that I could fall.

Wait! Weren’t some of these girls state champs? Their previous success had given me false confidence. So long as I did my part, they would always do theirs. Right? But the moment I realized that even the best girls sometimes get it wrong, everything changed.

While I made the team, cheerleading was no longer something I looked forward to. To be honest, I dreaded every practice, football game, and preparation for the upcoming competitive season. And my stunting showed it. All the stunts I had performed with ease were suddenly impossible. I failed. I fell. And I feared what my inability to shake my anxiety would mean for the rest of the girls. I wasn’t just afraid of getting hurt; I was afraid of letting down my teammates. So I did what needed to be done, but I did it while miserable and afraid.

Momma, I know what it is like to worry that the fear you face daily is going to impact your family. I know what it’s like to show up and do what needs to be done despite a racing heart and mind. I know what it is like to struggle through simple things when everyone else seems to face it all with ease. I know you put on a brave face about so much of it.

Friend, you can’t fly high enough to come out from the shadow of the Almighty’s wings. He is your strong tower, and He won’t let you fall. The world may shift beneath you, and life may seem to rest on unsteady ground. But the psalmist reminds us that “whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’”

Can you shift your perspective with me for just a moment? You’re not being held by trembling hands. You’re being held by God Himself. So even when you feel afraid, even when you fear failure or falling, you can trust that the Lord is strong and good. He doesn’t fault you for your feelings, but He came to bring hope and healing, His presence and His peace. Tonight let’s remember that He is with us and we can trust Him.

Tonight we pray for the momma who is anxious. Lord, this momma keeps watch over her family. She is constantly on guard. She worries about so much, but oh, how her heart craves peace. Lord, tonight we ask that You’d calm every nerve. Remove all her stress. Help her breathe deeply. Remind her now that You are the One protecting her home and those she loves. You uphold her with Your love. Help her give every care over to You now, and wrap her in a blanket of Your love that brings deep peace.

We ask in Jesus’s name, amen.

Father, I know that You are my stronghold, and I ask that You hold me fast as I trust You with . . .