Grief & Anxiety: Cause and Effect Part 2

Intro

4. Sometimes grief and anxiety stems as a result of a rejected message for God

Jeremiah (The weeping prophet)

The nations discarded his sermons

Because of that they went into captivity

Jeremiah’s scroll of scriptures was burned

He was put into a dungeon

Jeremiah 9:1 “1 Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, That I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!”

Jeremiah 15:18 “18 Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, which refuseth to be healed? wilt thou be altogether unto me as a liar, and as waters that fail?”

Jeremiah 20:8–9 “8 For since I spake, I cried out, I cried violence and spoil; Because the word of the Lord was made a reproach unto me, And a derision, daily. 9 Then I said, I will not make mention of him, Nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, And I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.”

Jeremiah 20:14 “14 Cursed be the day wherein I was born: Let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed.”

How did Jeremiah keep going?

a. He remembered

Jeremiah 1:5 “5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.”

b. He rewrote

Jeremiah 36:22–23 “22 Now the king sat in the winterhouse in the ninth month: and there was a fire on the hearth burning before him. 23 And it came to pass, that when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, he cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth.”

Jeremiah 36:27–28 “27 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, after that the king had burned the roll, and the words which Baruch wrote at the mouth of Jeremiah, saying, 28 Take thee again another roll, and write in it all the former words that were in the first roll, which Jehoiakim the king of Judah hath burned.”

Jeremiah 36:32 “32 Then took Jeremiah another roll, and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah; who wrote therein from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire: and there were added besides unto them many like words.”

We just have to keep going when God’s message is rejected…

6. Sometimes grief and anxiety stem as a result of exiting God’s will

Ruth 1:1–7 KJV 1900

1 Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Beth-lehem-judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons. 2 And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Beth-lehem-judah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued there. 3 And Elimelech Naomi’s husband died; and she was left, and her two sons. 4 And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there about ten years. 5 And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was left of her two sons and her husband. 6 Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the Lord had visited his people in giving them bread. 7 Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters in law with her; and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah.

The return:

Ruth 1:19–22 KJV 1900

19 So they two went until they came to Beth-lehem. And it came to pass, when they were come to Beth-lehem, that all the city was moved about them, and they said, Is this Naomi? 20 And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. 21 I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the Lord hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me? 22 So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Beth-lehem in the beginning of barley harvest.

Removing yourself and your family is NOT the answer to grief and anxiety…

When you are overwhelmed, grieved and filled with anxiety, don’t go away from the Rock… go TO the Rock that is greater than I…

7. Sometimes grief and anxiety stem as a result of unmet expectations in life

Hannah I Samuel 1

1 Samuel 1 KJV 1900

1 Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite: 2 And he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. 3 And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the Lord of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the Lord, were there. 4 And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions: 5 But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the Lord had shut up her womb. 6 And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the Lord had shut up her womb. 7 And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the Lord, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat. 8 Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons? 9 So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the Lord. 10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore. 11 And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no rasor come upon his head. 12 And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli marked her mouth. 13 Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken. 14 And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee. 15 And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord. 16 Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto. 17 Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him. 18 And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad. 19 And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the Lord, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the Lord remembered her. 20 Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the Lord. 21 And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the Lord the yearly sacrifice, and his vow. 22 But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the Lord, and there abide for ever. 23 And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him; only the Lord establish his word. So the woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him. 24 And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of the Lord in Shiloh: and the child was young. 25 And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli. 26 And she said, Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the Lord. 27 For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him: 28 Therefore also I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord. And he worshipped the Lord there.

8. Sometimes grief and anxiety stem as a result of overwhelming work

Numbers 11:14–15 “14 I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me. 15 And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness.”

Moses was overwhelmed…

The complaining people made him a complaining person…

Being around complainers effects us… it causes grief as a leader and anxiety…

To the point Moses is complaining to God…

What is the answer to grief and anxiety?

For sin - repentance

Heavy burden - submission to God

Attack from satan - resist him

Rejected message for God - remembering who formed you and why

Feeling alone - Look to the future (Elisha)

Exiting God’s will - yield back into His will

Unmet expectations - trusting in God

Overwhelming work and complaints - ????????

Psalm 61 KJV 1900

To the chief Musician upon Neginah, A Psalm of David. 1 Hear my cry, O God; Attend unto my prayer. 2 From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. 3 For thou hast been a shelter for me, And a strong tower from the enemy. 4 I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah. 5 For thou, O God, hast heard my vows: Thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy name. 6 Thou wilt prolong the king’s life: And his years as many generations. 7 He shall abide before God for ever: O prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him. 8 So will I sing praise unto thy name for ever, That I may daily perform my vows.

David had many things in life to be overwhelming:

Losing a baby

Son trying to kill you, his own father

One son raping a daughter

One son killing another son

Overwhelmed: crushed by the weight

The answer: Get to The Rock (1 Corinthians 10:4 “4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.” )

The Solid Rock

Don’t just ask God to take the weight off - it may be in His will to apply some pressure

Don’t delay in coming to God quickly - when you come to the Rock, you come in faith

Hebrews 11:6 “6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

Be patient

Romans 12:12 “12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;”

Sometimes we need someone to help us get to the Rock

“Lead me to the Rock”

Sometimes we just need that person who will help us along to do what you need to do

We usually know what we need to do, but sometimes we just need someone who is willing to lead us back to that Rock…

Getting away from the Rock is never the answer…

“I’ll come back to church after I get my life straightened out.”

The Rock is the help and yet people go away from the rock when being crushed by the weight of a burden

185 It doesn’t matter how great the pressure is. What really matters is where the pressure lies—whether it comes between you and God or whether it presses you nearer his heart.

James Hudson Taylor

The pressures of life are the hands of the Potter.

Anonymous

A pressure point is often applied to receive involuntary compliance… Go one direction when the body doesn’t want to…. Pressure is applied to make anew and better… Pressure is needed to distinguish the pattern of the form…