Dericka Canada Cunningham, GBW Founder
August 14, 2023
This Week's Anchor
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)
I enjoy the sweet moments when I get to engage in playful quality time with my three-year-old daughter. I’m often amazed at the ways God reveals a deeper understanding of His love and protection through the process of parenting. One particular playlist of my daughter's gives a glorious 90’s throwback to a VeggieTales song that easily catches one’s attention. The song sets up a bedtime scene that many of us can remember as kids…
“You were lying in your bed You were feeling kind of sleepy But you couldn't close your eyes because the room was getting creepy Were those eyeballs in the closet? Was that Godzilla in the hall?
There was something big and hairy casting shadows on the wall”
The song then shifts from the frightfulness of the nighttime room to a focus on the solution…
“What are you going to do? I'm going to call the police No, you don't need to do anything What? Why? Because...
God is bigger than the boogieman He's bigger than Godzilla or the monsters on TV Oh, God is bigger than the boogieman And he's watching out for you and me”
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, God can use anything to inspire us. Although this VeggieTales tune was meant for children, it has incredible meaning for our adult lives as well. Most of us can relate to experiencing those seasons that feel a lot like the scary, dark, and sometimes lonely childhood experience of bedtime. Instead of the boogieman, Godzilla, and monsters, it’s the anxiety of performing and meeting deadlines, the stress of paying bills, the trauma of our past, the uncertainty of our health, the confusion of our relationships, the depression of our situation, and/or the weight of supporting our families and loved ones that keep us up at night. But…thank God for His Word that anchors and reminds us that He is in control.
Our anchor scripture this week underscores the sentiments of this VeggieTales song. It first calls us to not be anxious (v. 6a). Now, as a psychologist, I can say that anxiety is a natural part of the human experience, and it’s my belief that God understands that. It’s nearly impossible to control our visceral emotional reactions to our life experiences; however, we can intentionally not allow our emotions, and in this case, anxiety take over us, our lives, or most importantly, our trust in God. This scripture encourages us to present our requests to God by prayer (deliberately connecting to the Presence of the Holy Trinity), petition (humbly appealing to God), and thanksgiving (acknowledging God for who He is and for what He does; v.6b).
By no means do I intend to send the superficial and oftentimes invalidating “just-pray about-it” message. Proclaiming that God is bigger isn’t meant to discredit our very real emotional experiences surrounding our struggles. God, nor this scripture, promises us that problems won’t arise or that like the dark bedtime hour, we won’t feel humanly terrified. Nevertheless, God does promise that despite life’s challenges we can have peace that surpasses all understanding (v.7). Declaring that God is bigger means affirming that His Divine, protective, and restorative peace can co-exist with the chaos of our lives, and that this truth is what sustains our hearts and minds through whatever comes our way.
“So, are you frightened? No, not really Are you worried? Not a bit I know whatever's gonna happen That God can handle it”
God is greater than depression, anxiety, and trauma; He’s stronger than divorce, break-ups, family or friendship drama; and He’s higher than financial crisis, uncertain life transitions, sickness, and even death. This week we can all anchor ourselves in the reassuring faith that there is nothing too hard for God and He is big enough to keep us through any and everything.
Reflection
What resonates for you about this scripture and/or this devotion?
What hinders your trust in God when life’s problems get big? What do you need from the Holy Trinity to help you remember that God is bigger?
What intention(s) do you want to set to connect and/or reconnect with being grounded this week?
Related Scriptures to Ground You Through this Week
Psalms 23:1-6
Psalms 121:1-8
Isaiah 41:10
Romans 8:28
Philippians 4: 12-13
Hebrews 4:16
Romans 8:28
My Through-the-Week Reflection Guide
A Song of Inspiration
Quote of Love & Liberation
“I’m convinced that we Black women possess a special indestructible strength that allows us to not only get down, but to get up, to get through, and to get over.”
Janet Jackson
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