The Garden: Ways to Overcome Fear, Anxiety, and StressSample

The 5th D: DIVIDE/UNITE

Evil’s ultimate goal is to divide us and separate us from God. He distracts, discourages, distorts, and creates doubt so we will be divided from God, divided from each other and ourselves. Whenever you doubt God, believe the lie, get discouraged and distracted, you feel further away and more divided from God and the people you love.

Now, more than ever, there are so many reasons to feel anxious. Maybe it’s the pandemic, the unemployment rate, or the rocky political climate. Today, there are many unknowns in the world and often in our own lives. The word “anxious” literally means divided. It is no coincidence that when we feel anxious, we are most likely experiencing separation from God and His love.

After Adam and Eve ate the fruit because of doubt, distortion, discouragement, and distraction, they experienced division from God. They felt ashamed and guilty, and instead of running to their Father, they ran away from Him and tried to hide.

Have you ever done that? Tried to run away from God and hide from Him because of guilt, anger, shame? When we hide from God, instead of running to God, we experience separation and disconnection, leading to anxiety, fear, stress, and a host of other problems.

The Bible tells us in Philippians 4:6-7 that when we feel anxious, we are “in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present (our) requests to God.” And that when we do this, “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard (our) hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” So the solution to division is to unite with God. God loves you and created you to be united with Him.

What happened in the garden represents man’s separation from God. Jesus represents man’s unity, oneness, and reconciliation with God. What happened in the garden gets reconciled on the cross. Jesus died to unite man back to God. The cross of Jesus is the great reversal. He came to unite and restore what had been divided and destroyed in the garden.

"Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:39

Love always wins because Love unites. What evil intended for bad, God used for good. Instead of division, focus on uniting with God and in Love with others.

Unite with God through prayer, through thanksgiving, through meditation, through reading the Bible. Unite in Love with others through service, patience, kindness, and humility.

Going Deeper:

Reflect on when you ran away from God instead of to Him.

How does it feel to know God loves you and nothing can separate you from His Love?

Prayer:

Tell God all about your anxieties, fears, and stresses. Run to your Father, who loves you unconditionally. Know there is “no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment. (1 John 4:18) God is listening to you, and He is waiting for you with open arms.