Today in my scripture reading Moses goes to Mt. Nebo where he dies. God buries him after He showed him all of the land the Israelites will be claiming as they cross the Jordan River. The scripture says the children of Israel mourned for 30 days. Moses had been in charge of these people for the past 40 years once they’d left Egypt. Now he is gone and their new leader is Joshua. Moses had anointed him in front of the Israelites and God’s wisdom was given to Joshua.

Reading this, I began to ponder the level of excitement and anxiety the Israelites must have had with Moses dying and now they go into the land God is giving them with their new leader. It made me think about my stepping away from 50 years working in education to start counseling. I knew this was something God wanted me to do, (He had made that clear for me), but it didn’t remove the anxiousness I kept experiencing. We know the Israelites go into the new land and conquer one after another. God kept showing them He keeps His promises.

This has been true for me over and over as I’ve taken this new step. Even though it has only been 8 months since we started the counseling program, the benefits from it are already being seen (by those coming and by myself as I’ve gained so much new learning). The anxiety I had is being replaced with assurance. Yes, I still feel a level of concern each time I meet with someone new, but God’s Spirit always provides.

New steps in life can make us anxious, but keeping the God we serve upfront in our hearts and mind will overcome any anxiousness of flesh and the deceptions Satan wants us to believe.