Power Over Panic
Today’s Verse:
I called upon the LORD in distress: the LORD answered me, and set me in a large place. ~Psalm 118:5
Are you someone who has experienced a panic attack? If you have, you probably will describe it as an emotional, mental, and spiritual breakdown. Psalm 118 is the testimony of a believer who survived a panic attack. We see first-hand what he went through, how the Lord delivered him, and what it taught him. Let’s see how God gives us power over panic.
We see the anxiety.
The psalmist said that he was in distress. He describes his plight as being surrounded, pressured, and ready to cave in. The other night, my wife and I called on a woman who is going through a very difficult time emotionally, financially, and mentally due to a loss of income and a failing business. When I called her, we were barely on the phone for 1 or 2 minutes before she broke down and cried. She was desperate for help and, at first, inconsolable in her weeping. As she tried to tell us what the problems were, we felt a sense of helplessness given the extreme of her situation. She went through a panic attack and was beside herself. In her anxiety, she felt like the bottom fell out beneath her and she was going to crash.
We see the appeal.
The psalmist called on the Lord. He prayed with an extreme urgency. I often say that we must pray like we are in a trial or God will send us trials to teach us to pray. His prayer was equivalent to a “help me!” I believe his prayer was focused, fervent, and in faith. When a panic attack happens, we must pray to God. We must get past the bondage of anxiety and panic and make our request known to God. The best part is that the Lord answered him! God heard him and dealt with the matter at hand. God was ready and more than able to deliver this man.
We see the awareness.
He learned that it is better to trust in the Lord than to trust in man or in princes. No connection is stronger or more reliable than our connection through the Lord. Faith in God never fails. There are problems that God allows in our lives to teach us that it is better to trust in God than in man. We must bring all our anxieties and burdens to the Lord. We must make God the first One we go to when we are in distress. We must realize that God has a way in which He delivers us, and we must trust in His way.
We see the alleviation.
He acknowledged that the Lord had helped him. He had a renewed resolve that he was more than a conqueror through our Lord. He knew that he could overcome his foes in the name of the Lord. He saw light at the end of the tunnel. He saw victory over sin and his enemies. He said, “I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD.” He was renewed in soul and spirit.
We see the alleluia.
He gives glory, praise, and thanks for God’s goodness in his life. He saw that his plight was an opportunity for him to see God’s hand at work for him. He thanks the Lord for His mercy, help, and power. We are saved to praise and honor the Lord. He praised God for answered prayer, deliverance, and placing him in a large place. A panic attack can be unsettling, but it is God’s gift to teach us how He gives us peace in the midst of our storm. Don’t succumb panic! Call on the Lord and let Him do great and mighty things for you.
Have a faith-enabled God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Matthew 1-4