1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:13,360 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Welcome to the Crosswalk devotional. We're glad to 2 00:00:13,360 --> 00:00:16,400 Speaker 1: have you listening with us. Today's topic is on getting 3 00:00:16,400 --> 00:00:19,239 Speaker 1: to the root of your anxiety. We'll return with the 4 00:00:19,280 --> 00:00:35,280 Speaker 1: devotional after a brief message from our sponsors. When you 5 00:00:35,360 --> 00:00:39,040 Speaker 1: don't know why you're anxious? Written and read by Jennifer Slattery, 6 00:00:40,560 --> 00:00:43,320 Speaker 1: Search me God and know my heart, Test me and 7 00:00:43,440 --> 00:00:46,760 Speaker 1: know my anxious thoughts. See if there's any offensive way 8 00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:50,480 Speaker 1: in me, and lead me in the way everlasting Psalm 9 00:00:50,560 --> 00:00:55,160 Speaker 1: one thirty nine, Verses twenty three and twenty four. I've 10 00:00:55,200 --> 00:00:58,640 Speaker 1: experienced chronic anxiety for as long as I can remember, 11 00:00:58,840 --> 00:01:01,440 Speaker 1: until about five years of go. I assume this was 12 00:01:01,480 --> 00:01:06,039 Speaker 1: mostly biological, with a few uncomfortable scenarios sprinkled in, And 13 00:01:06,120 --> 00:01:08,840 Speaker 1: while there may have been some truth to that, I've 14 00:01:08,920 --> 00:01:12,880 Speaker 1: since learned a lot more occurred beneath the surface than 15 00:01:12,920 --> 00:01:16,160 Speaker 1: I realized. That was a problem, because it's hard to 16 00:01:16,240 --> 00:01:20,480 Speaker 1: manage something with roots below conscious awareness. But one day, 17 00:01:20,480 --> 00:01:23,679 Speaker 1: as I read Psalm one thirty nine, a thought hit. 18 00:01:24,560 --> 00:01:27,160 Speaker 1: The Lord knows me better than I know myself. He 19 00:01:27,319 --> 00:01:30,360 Speaker 1: sees things in my soul that I don't, and he 20 00:01:30,520 --> 00:01:34,679 Speaker 1: lovingly shines his healing light into all those spaces where 21 00:01:34,760 --> 00:01:39,160 Speaker 1: lies and unprocessed hurts reside. From that day on, I 22 00:01:39,480 --> 00:01:43,840 Speaker 1: began praying today's passage, asking God to reveal everything within 23 00:01:43,920 --> 00:01:48,440 Speaker 1: me that weakened my relationship with him and hinder my peace. David, 24 00:01:48,520 --> 00:01:51,520 Speaker 1: ancient Israel's second king who penned Psalm one thirty nine, 25 00:01:51,720 --> 00:01:55,920 Speaker 1: began with a declaration of truth. I find comforting. You 26 00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:59,680 Speaker 1: have searched me, Lord, and you know me, not because 27 00:01:59,680 --> 00:02:03,480 Speaker 1: God needed increased information. The Lord knew everything about him 28 00:02:03,520 --> 00:02:06,360 Speaker 1: since before he took his first breath. He then expanded 29 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:08,800 Speaker 1: on this in verses two through four, saying, you know 30 00:02:09,040 --> 00:02:11,600 Speaker 1: when I sit and when I rise. You perceive my 31 00:02:11,720 --> 00:02:14,480 Speaker 1: thoughts from afar. You discern my going out, am I 32 00:02:14,560 --> 00:02:18,040 Speaker 1: lying down? You are familiar with all my ways. Before 33 00:02:18,040 --> 00:02:21,919 Speaker 1: a word is on my tongue, You Lord know it completely. 34 00:02:22,480 --> 00:02:26,520 Speaker 1: David was saying, you know every thought, concern, and motive. 35 00:02:27,040 --> 00:02:30,000 Speaker 1: The same is true for us. The Lord knows every 36 00:02:30,080 --> 00:02:33,919 Speaker 1: tax weighing heavy on our hearts, every frustration will encounter, 37 00:02:34,560 --> 00:02:38,280 Speaker 1: and each moment that might challenge our peace and self control. 38 00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:41,760 Speaker 1: He sees the pits ahead of us, and the detours 39 00:02:41,760 --> 00:02:45,720 Speaker 1: will feel tempted to take Some find this depth of 40 00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:50,600 Speaker 1: knowledge intimidating, maybe because they don't understand God's heart. The 41 00:02:50,639 --> 00:02:54,400 Speaker 1: one who probes the deepest places within us is the 42 00:02:54,440 --> 00:02:58,440 Speaker 1: same God who gave us his son that we might live. 43 00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:03,360 Speaker 1: David understood disgrace. In First Samuel twenty five, he became 44 00:03:03,560 --> 00:03:08,200 Speaker 1: enraged and nearly annihilated an entire household because of one 45 00:03:08,240 --> 00:03:11,600 Speaker 1: man's offense, but the lord used a wise woman named 46 00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:15,440 Speaker 1: Abigail to stop him. Later, when David should have been 47 00:03:15,480 --> 00:03:19,360 Speaker 1: out commanding his army to Samuel eleven, verse one, he 48 00:03:19,520 --> 00:03:23,839 Speaker 1: instead remained home, casually ambling upon the palace rooftop, which 49 00:03:23,919 --> 00:03:27,520 Speaker 1: was designed to allow kings a bird's eye view of 50 00:03:27,560 --> 00:03:31,880 Speaker 1: their land, including the people they ruled. While there, he 51 00:03:32,040 --> 00:03:34,600 Speaker 1: happened to see a married woman in the land below 52 00:03:34,800 --> 00:03:39,760 Speaker 1: performing her post menstrual ritual per Jewish law. David lusted 53 00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:43,840 Speaker 1: after her and used his authority and royal officials to 54 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:46,960 Speaker 1: take her. In modern days, this would have fallen well 55 00:03:46,960 --> 00:03:50,440 Speaker 1: within the me too movement, because I highly doubt in 56 00:03:50,480 --> 00:03:54,080 Speaker 1: this patriarchal society, where men often treated women as property, 57 00:03:54,320 --> 00:03:57,880 Speaker 1: that Bathsheba had the ability, not to mention courage to 58 00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:02,040 Speaker 1: refuse the quote unquote request of royal officials or the 59 00:04:02,120 --> 00:04:05,960 Speaker 1: advances of a king. Then, as if that wasn't atrocious enough, 60 00:04:06,240 --> 00:04:09,760 Speaker 1: upon learning his victim was pregnant, he had her husband 61 00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:14,760 Speaker 1: killed to hide his sin. Yet, although he did experience consequences, 62 00:04:15,160 --> 00:04:20,040 Speaker 1: he also received grace Psalm fifty one, considering the extent 63 00:04:20,200 --> 00:04:25,080 Speaker 1: of his sin, extreme grace, because that's the promise God 64 00:04:25,120 --> 00:04:28,880 Speaker 1: made when we confess our sins, every and any sin. 65 00:04:29,360 --> 00:04:32,320 Speaker 1: He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse 66 00:04:32,560 --> 00:04:36,800 Speaker 1: us of all unrighteousness first John one nine. He never 67 00:04:36,839 --> 00:04:40,840 Speaker 1: searches our souls to condemn us. Rather, he probes and 68 00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:46,800 Speaker 1: illuminates to cover our biggest faults with mercy and undeserved favor. 69 00:04:47,400 --> 00:04:51,320 Speaker 1: Everything he does and allows flows from these two motives. 70 00:04:51,480 --> 00:04:54,799 Speaker 1: One is to bring us flourishing life characterized by love, joy, 71 00:04:54,920 --> 00:04:58,320 Speaker 1: and peace Galatians five twenty two to twenty three. His 72 00:04:58,440 --> 00:05:01,680 Speaker 1: second is to reveal his glory, which is another way 73 00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:04,960 Speaker 1: of saying who he is in all his attributes. His 74 00:05:05,000 --> 00:05:08,400 Speaker 1: goal to awaken our awareness of his greatness so that 75 00:05:08,480 --> 00:05:11,600 Speaker 1: we would turn to and depend more fully on Him, 76 00:05:11,600 --> 00:05:14,159 Speaker 1: which is the only way to experience the thriving life 77 00:05:14,320 --> 00:05:17,800 Speaker 1: Jesus promised in John ten, verse ten. The more we 78 00:05:17,839 --> 00:05:21,400 Speaker 1: grasp Christ's heart and ways, the more apt we are 79 00:05:21,400 --> 00:05:24,920 Speaker 1: to invite Him to shine his flashlight into our souls. 80 00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:27,960 Speaker 1: The more we want him to reveal those things that 81 00:05:28,040 --> 00:05:32,400 Speaker 1: are keeping us stuck in anxiety, fear, anger, bitterness, rage, 82 00:05:32,640 --> 00:05:36,120 Speaker 1: whatever distorts our perspective and causes us to behave and 83 00:05:36,160 --> 00:05:39,400 Speaker 1: weighs contrary to who we truly are. Let me read 84 00:05:39,440 --> 00:05:44,960 Speaker 1: today's passage again and perhaps make this your prayer. Search me, God, 85 00:05:45,440 --> 00:05:48,760 Speaker 1: and know my heart. To the ancient Hebrew, the heart 86 00:05:48,880 --> 00:05:52,920 Speaker 1: was the source of our motivations, thoughts, and will, including 87 00:05:53,080 --> 00:05:57,479 Speaker 1: our subconscious Test me, Lord. This invites God to look 88 00:05:57,520 --> 00:06:01,080 Speaker 1: beyond our external behavior to examine those thoughts, motives, and 89 00:06:01,160 --> 00:06:05,080 Speaker 1: patterns conscious or not, triggering our anxiety. But here's the 90 00:06:05,120 --> 00:06:09,880 Speaker 1: beautiful part. God reveals what's harmful within us in order 91 00:06:09,960 --> 00:06:14,200 Speaker 1: to lead us one step further on his path to thriving, 92 00:06:14,360 --> 00:06:18,880 Speaker 1: everlasting life. The fact that the Lord preserved this prayer 93 00:06:18,920 --> 00:06:23,160 Speaker 1: in scripture indicates he intends for us to actively pursue 94 00:06:23,360 --> 00:06:26,680 Speaker 1: the spiritual gifts like love, joy, and peace available to 95 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:29,279 Speaker 1: us through our faith in Christ, and to invite His 96 00:06:29,440 --> 00:06:33,640 Speaker 1: transformative work in our souls. To search no and reveal 97 00:06:33,720 --> 00:06:37,760 Speaker 1: to us whatever is keeping us from full thriving life. 98 00:06:38,520 --> 00:06:46,640 Speaker 1: That's a powerful step toward living free. Thanks for listening 99 00:06:46,680 --> 00:06:49,520 Speaker 1: to today's devotional. If you liked what you heard today, 100 00:06:49,720 --> 00:06:52,320 Speaker 1: we want to make sure you know about our sister podcast, 101 00:06:52,680 --> 00:06:56,120 Speaker 1: Your Daily Prayer. When you follow your Daily Prayer in 102 00:06:56,200 --> 00:06:59,320 Speaker 1: your favorite podcast app, you'll get a brand new prayer 103 00:06:59,360 --> 00:07:03,000 Speaker 1: and devotional each day, so your days begin in conversation 104 00:07:03,120 --> 00:07:06,479 Speaker 1: with God. If you're looking to grow in prayer or 105 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:09,360 Speaker 1: start your day with your heart focused on the right things, 106 00:07:09,920 --> 00:07:13,920 Speaker 1: search for your Daily Prayer in your favorite podcast app 107 00:07:14,200 --> 00:07:16,480 Speaker 1: and be sure to follow the show so you get 108 00:07:16,480 --> 00:07:19,680 Speaker 1: a new prayer delivered straight to you each morning.