Whenever my busy thoughts were out of control,
the soothing comfort of your presence
calmed me down and overwhelmed me with delight.

Psalm 94: 19 (TPT)

A male cardinal started pecking on my windows in early spring. The pecking was relentless in the beginning and still continues, although to a lesser degree. It’s the first time in 30 years of living here that I’ve experienced a cardinal being so persistent. He goes from window to window. Upstairs and downstairs. The pecking begins at daybreak and continues until nightfall. Day after day. Week after week. Month after month.

A Google search revealed some interesting facts about male cardinals and windows. Apparently, in mating season, which lasts from spring through summer, male cardinals have a lot at stake. They have to secure the territory to win the female and eventually have a place to raise their colorful brood. Winning the territory gives them access to the female, nesting site, and food. When the male sees his reflection in the window, he thinks it is another male cardinal he has to fight off to keep his territory safe.

Knowing these facts makes it a little easier to deal with the incessant pecking at my windows, and as a bird lover I have to admit I enjoy his daily company. He is a bright spot in my day and visitors to my home are intrigued by his noisy visits.

I also learned that a cardinal’s lifespan may be as little as three years. When I realized the bird had spent so much of his short life living in fear of what he thought was another male bird, I thought how tragic and sad it was. How awful to spend so much time of a short existence living in fear and fighting so hard against a perceived enemy.

Then it hit me. I am just like the cardinal, spending much of my life living in fear. Living afraid of things my mind conjures up that never happen. How often do I spend my days endlessly pecking away at the window of worry, imagining things that could go wrong, worrying about all the “what ifs?” What if my health gets worse and I can’t take care of myself? What if something happens to my children or grandchildren? What if someone in my family gets Covid-19? What if something breaks and I cannot afford to fix it? What if I never get the books finished I want to write? On and on it goes.

Worrying comes natural to me, and I have been a card carrying member of the worriers club for as long as I can remember. I feel my faith is strong but yet I worry. It’s something I’ve prayed about many times, only to get up from my place of prayer and find something brand new to worry about.

God’s word tells us not to worry.

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Therefore, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. (Luke 12: 22)

Can anyone of you by worrying add a single hour to his life? (Matthew 6: 27)

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 minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4: 6-7)

I’m so grateful for God’s promises! I’m thankful he knows our weaknesses and still loves us despite our worries, fears, and anxieties. One of my favorite verses about anxiety is Psalm 94:19.

Whenever my busy thoughts were out of control,
the soothing comfort of your presence
calmed me down and overwhelmed me with delight. (TPT)

I often recite Psalm 94: 19 when I feel my anxiety escalating. It has helped me get through many tense moments. Being reminded of God’s soothing comfort and presence is enough to reign in my busy, out-of-control thoughts. To know he not only calms me down but overwhelms me with delight is humbling. What a contrast to go from feeling overwhelmed by anxious thoughts to being overwhelmed with God’s delight! God’s word is the perfect prescription for worry and anxiety.

Do you have a favorite scripture you’ve memorized to help soothe your anxious thoughts? When we replace our out-of-control thoughts with God’s precious promises, we will experience his soothing presence, as he infuses our worried souls with calmness and overwhelms us with delight.