The Seventh Year: How to survive anxious moments

Lately, in my circle of acquaintances and friends, there has been so much tragedy - the gut-wrenching kind.  I marvel when I see their faith shining through as they walk through, what should be unbearable sorrow, with the Grace that only God can provide.

What sets them apart?  How are they surviving such anxious moments?

But Moses’ hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him,

 and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, 

and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.

Exodus 17:12

                       How to Survive Anxious Moments?                         A Lesson from the Sabbath Year

The Lord instructed the Israelites to work hard and prepare for six years so that in the seventh year (the Sabbath year) the land would be at rest from being worked over.  But... during the seventh year, the land would essentially work for them by providing their food.

The Lord said to Moses at Mount Sinai,  “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter the land I am going to give you, the land itself must observe a sabbath to the Lord.  For six years sow your fields, and for six years prune your vineyards and gather their crops.  But in the seventh year the land is to have a year of sabbath rest, a sabbath to the Lord. Do not sow your fields or prune your vineyards.  Do not reap what grows of itself or harvest the grapes of your untended vines. The land is to have a year of rest.  Whatever the land yields during the sabbath year will be food for you—for yourself, your male and female servants, and the hired worker and temporary resident who live among you,  as well as for your livestock and the wild animals in your land. Whatever the land produces may be eaten.

Leviticus 25:1-7

The Lord instructed the Israelites to work hard and prepare for six years so that in the seventh year (the Sabbath year) the land would be at rest from being worked over.  But... during the seventh year, the land would essentially work for them by providing their food. 

When we are in times of peace, prosperity and contentment, in good health in mind, body and Spirit, our six years if you will, it is then that we should work even harder to hide Scripture in our hearts - to worship often, to pray often, to be in the Word often, and to spend much time with the Body of Believers.   In so doing, we will be storing up for ourselves rest - the rest necessary for the seventh year...

...so that we will then be able to survive anxious moments, whether small, tragic or any type of anxiety in between, because we prepared for six years by memorizing Scripture, studying God's Word, being in close fellowship with the Lord and with fellow Believers.

In the seventh year, God's Word and His promises will work within us a hundredfold as we walk the difficult road, but we are not alone.  First and foremost, the Lord Jesus is with us, and secondly, our brothers and sisters in Christ will come along side of us and provide the comfort and support to survive.

The LORD will give strength to His people; 

The LORD will bless His people with peace.

Psalm 29:11

He gives strength to the weary, 

And to him who lacks might He increases power.

Isaiah 40:29

Rejoice with those who rejoice, 

weep with those who weep.

Romans 12:15

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 

the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 

who comforts us in all our troubles,

so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort

 we ourselves have received from God.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4

For more encouraging posts related to anxiety, please click on the following titles:

God has Compassion on Your Anxious Heart

5 Promises from God When Bad Things Happen

God's Waiting for you in the Fire

4 Effective Truths to Preach to Your Anxious Heart

My Time in Prison

When we prepare for six years, God's Amazing Grace will shine through in the seventh year,  we will bring Glory to God our Father, we will experience the peace that surpasses all understanding, and we will do better than survive, we will experience great joy.

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