Avoiding Anxiety

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” Philippians 4:6

No matter what the circumstance we have the opportunity to find comfort and hope. Instead we often take the pathway that places us in an anxious state of mind. Years ago, I save a list of mistakes to avoid in difficult times. Below is the list by an unknown author:

Remorse over yesterday’s failure.
Anxiety over today’s problems.
Worry over tomorrow’s uncertainty.
Waste of the moment’s opportunity.
Procrastination with one’s present duty.
Resentment of another’s success.
Criticism of a neighbor’s imperfections.
Impatience with youth’s immaturity.
Skepticism of our nation’s future.
Unbelief in God’s providences.

To this list of things to avoid I will give you my list of things to do. 

Learn to be thankful.
Make your requests known to God.
Know God’s Word.
Trust God.
Don’t focus on your circumstances for they constantly change.
Focus on God and His Word for they never change.
Look at your situation as a stepping-stone not a stumbling-block.
Look for ways to minister to others in your moments of difficulty.
Have a loving attitude – rejoice in others successes.  
Do your duty right the first time; it saves a lot of time and trouble.

These two lists represent two separate pathways. One pathway will be filled with anxiety and produce a sense of futility and the other will be filled with opportunities and produce hope. Everyday you stand at the crossroads and must make a choice. What will it be?