The Antidote for AnxietySample

It is still there. The anxiety that promised to leave after you got the task done. The depression that was supposed to lift once the relationship got better. The addiction that whispers your name even years into recovery. You thought following God meant the enemies would disappear, but they're still lurking.

This is where Psalm 23 gets radical. God doesn't promise to remove all our enemies before He becomes our friend. Instead, He does something shocking: He prepares a feast while they watch. He lays out a picnic blanket right in the middle of the battle.

Your enemies—anxiety, depression, fear, shame—don't get to determine when you experience God's goodness. They don't get to postpone the feast until you've gotten your act together. While they glare from the sidelines, God spreads a banquet table and invites you to dine with Him.

The table represents intimacy, abundance, and celebration. It's God saying, "These enemies don't have the final word in your story. I do." Every time you come to His table—through prayer, worship, or simply acknowledging His presence—you're declaring that your enemies are not in control.

Sometimes the presence of enemies actually drives us to the table more than their absence would. The very things that threaten to overwhelm us become the reasons we feast with the Shepherd.

Reflect: What "enemies" are currently present in your life?

Today's Action: Set aside time today to "come to the table"—pray, worship, or simply sit in God's presence, knowing your enemies don't get to prevent this moment.

Prayer: Lord, thank you that you don't wait for my life to be perfect before you fellowship with me. Help me feast at your table even when enemies surround me. Remind me that they don't have the final word.