When the Earth Begins Shaking Under Your Feet

Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved.

Philippians 4:1 NKJV

The floor began moving under my feet. The dishes in the kitchen cabinets rattled as if they might break. It came in waves. I had never experienced an earthquake. We aren’t supposed to have earthquakes in Virginia, but we were experiencing a mild one that day.

It’s hard to understand how something so rock solid as the ground beneath our feet can shift and shake. Is there any unshakable foundation? Yes, only one, Jesus Christ. He won’t stop the plates under the earth’s surface from shifting (unless he desires), but He can still our shuddering souls.

In Eyes of Faith, I dedicated an entire chapter to the topic of worry. Why? Worry accounts for the majority of our problems, and often, we worry about things that haven’t taken place yet.

We are so prone to worry that we fail to understand the seriousness of it. Worry is a sin, but we don’t look at it like God does. We consider it a lesser evil. Less than murder, but in God’s eyes, all sin is equal. It only takes one crack to break an entire window.

So, what can we do about worries? The answer lies within the pages of Paul’s letter to the Philippians. In chapter four, Paul, imprisoned in Rome, tells us to avoid anxiety. He instructs us to pray with thanksgiving. The New Living Translation says,

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done.(Phil. 4:6)

But the first step is having a firm foundation under our feet. Paul begins chapter four by instructing his readers to stand fast in the Lord. How do we stand fast when the earth beneath us quakes?

We hold on. That fall day, I grabbed hold of the kitchen counter. We grab hold of Jesus.

Let’s understand the difference between a worry and a concern. A concern is a legitimate problem you seek to fix. You are in control. Your car needs a new set of tires. You select the tires you want and make arrangements to buy them.

A worry is something that consumes us. We fidget. We pace. Our tummies do backflips. We resemble a bowl of Jell-O. There’s no stability in that.

We must stand fast, and the only way we can stand fast is with a stable foundation under our feet. That firm foundation, my friend, is Jesus Christ.

Understanding our Savior’s love and immersing ourselves in His truth will keep us steady. That is why Paul didn’t stop when he wrote, “Stand fast.” He tells us to stand fast in the Lord.

What worries are keeping you awake at night? Illness? Finances? Family problems? Marital problems? What does Jesus say about them?

Long ago, as He spoke to the Jews, He told them not to worry, because their heavenly Father knew everything they had need of (Matt. 6:32) And He knows everything we have need of today, too.

Hold on. Stand fast, and find the stability of the Lord.

Lord Jesus, help me trust You with unshakable faith. Faith that moves mountains and stabilizes my heart. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

DIG DEEPER

Read Philippians 4:1-7

HIKING THE TRAIL

What worry do you plan to tackle today? Search a site such as Bible Gateway to find Scripture you on that topic. Speak it and pray it.

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