Elisabeth Elliot: I hope we don't have the attitude of "Well, Lord, I want You to help me. I will examine the suggestions that You make. I will decide whether or not I want to carry those out."

Lisa Barry: I'm sure no one would readily admit to having an attitude like that. But at the same time, I'm sure we can all remember occasions when we read something from the Bible and then tried to reason it away. Like when that outspoken neighbor criticizes something you've done, and later that day you just happen upon a verse in the Bible like "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." Did you hurry and try to find another verse to meditate on?

Well, this week on Gateway To Joy, Elisabeth Elliot is beginning a brand-new series that's billed as an antidote for anxiety. There's a whole lot of life that tempts us to be anxious. Let's find out why God's will is that we be anxious for nothing. Here's Elisabeth to get us started.

Elisabeth Elliot: "You are loved with an everlasting love." That?s what the Bible says. "And underneath are the everlasting arms." This is your friend Elisabeth Elliot, talking with you this week about what I call the antidote for anxiety. The antidote for anxiety.

Am I speaking to any anxious people out there who are kind of frantic and wondering if there is any respite or any way to get around this anxiety? Let me read you what Anita said. I thought this was quite interesting.

She said, "Absolute truth is for absolute obedience. I received tremendous help in restoring to me the joy of my marriage. I had fallen into a prideful, self-centered, self-absorbed mindset, but I didn't see it. The Holy Spirit impressed upon my heart that my own attitude should be found in 1 Corinthians 13."

I hope that many of my listeners already know what 1 Corinthians 13 is. It's a description of love. Love is very patient. Love is very kind. Love does not provoke. Well, I won't give you the whole list, but it's worth your looking up.

She says, "I found myself looking into the same mirror of conviction over my own shortcomings and my own arrogance. You have a forthright way of telling the truth of God's Word. You don't make apologies for what the Word of God says. I believe that absolute truth is for absolute obedience. I intend to reapply myself to being the wife and the mommy that I so desperately want to be, leaving self behind."

Well, I'm always gratified when I know that God is working in the hearts of those who listen to Gateway To Joy. When I happened to be preparing this talk, I myself was being sorely tempted. I must confess that my dear husband, Lars, whom I love with all my heart, somehow or other managed to upset me. I'm sure he didn't mean it on purpose, but I was probably in the sort of the bottom of the barrel mode. Anyway, I got upset.

Then I realized that I was behind in my laundry. I was behind in preparation for Gateway To Joy talks. I had a speaking engagement coming up. So I needed an antidote for anxiety. But you know what? The Bible says, "Be anxious for nothing." Be anxious for nothing.

Human nature wants to stew and fret, but our Heavenly Father knows what you need. He waits to hear you pray. He knows how to deliver you from anxiety and from evil. We pray in the Lord's prayer, "Deliver us from evil."

But I have to confess to you, my dear faithful radio listeners, that I am from time to time sorely tempted. I felt as though there were too many trips this week, too much laundry. I was too anxious about preparations for Gateway To Joy. Well, what else is new? You have your list, too, don't you?

Isaiah 50:7 is one that I fall back on over and over again. "The Lord God will help me. Therefore, shall I not be confounded. Therefore, have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed." You have the same Lord that I have. He will help you. There is the promise in black and white in Isaiah 50:7. "The Lord God will help me."

It says in Philippians 4:4-13 that we are to rejoice. "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again, rejoice. Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything 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 your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me or seen in me, put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. I rejoice greatly in the Lord, that at last you have renewed your concern for me. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content."

Now this is still the apostle Paul writing to the Philippian Christians. "I have learned to be content, whatever the circumstances. I have learned the secret of being content in every and any situation." Now that's quite a testimony, isn't it, when you stop to think that Paul was in prison when he said those words. Contented. Can you imagine being contented in a Roman prison? Probably filthy, cold, maybe full of rats or cockroaches. He says, "I'm content," because he has learned.

So let's learn how to take everything to the Lord in prayer. He is listening. The mountain of mail that I receive?how am I to reply to many who write very long, long sad stories? Often they're filled with anxiety, expecting me to be able to answer clearly and succinctly and helpfully. "Well, Lord, help me, please," I say. If we ask for His help, we must make sure that our hearts submit to whatever He ordains. I'd better say that again. If we ask for God's help, we must make sure that our hearts submit to whatever He ordains.

I hope we don't have the attitude of "Well, Lord, I want You to help me. I will examine the suggestions that You make. I will decide whether or not I want to carry those out." No, that's really not the way we should talk to Almighty God, is it? We should be conformed to the will of God. Conformity means likeness in form, manner or character; a likeness in resemblance. To conform is to shape in accordance with, to bring into harmony.

Madame Guyon, that amazing French woman who was so persecuted and spent I think forty years in prison, this is what she wrote: "My heart submitted to whatever should please God to ordain. I was lodged in a little hole on straw, to which I went up by a ladder. Never did I enjoy a greater content than in this little hole, which appeared so very conformable to the state of Jesus Christ."

In other words, Madam Guyon had accepted what God had given her. Acceptance is an antidote for anxiety. In acceptance lies peace. Maybe some of you are just killing yourselves by refusing to accept what God has ordained.

But you might say, "What has God got to do with this? This is a terrible thing that has happened to me" or "This person is horrible the way he is treating me. What's that got to do with God?"

The Bible says, "No temptation has ever taken you which is not common to human beings, but God is faithful and He will not allow you to be tempted beyond your ability to bear." We need to suffer with love. We need to be willing to suffer with submission and resignation and sweetness, not with weariness and discontent.

Think about the world's idea of conformity. Not that people use the word very often, but the world has a tremendous urge to conform. I happen to be taping this program when they're talking about all the new cars that are supposed to be coming in. Well, you've got to be the first on your block, one of the commercials says over and over again. Wouldn't it be fun to be the first on your block to have such and such a car? I can't even imagine anything so silly. Who in the world gives two hoots what kind of a car you're driving? "Well, I've got lots of neighbors who?I want to upstage them."

Well, forget it. We don't need to conform to the world's urge, to ear-splitting noise, to what I call noise instead of music, to food. Do we have to have balsamic vinegar just because everybody else has balsamic vinegar? Do we have to eat bagels? I like English muffins better than bagels. My husband likes bagels. That's fine, but I don?t have to conform.

Field greens. Does anybody know what kind of a field these field greens come out of? Every restaurant we go into, they describe their salads as having field greens. Well, I know what lettuce is, but I don't know what field greens are, and I really don't care very much. There are just too many choices, aren't there?

Let's learn to recognize the designs of God for the present moment. I began this by saying this is an antidote for anxiety. I trust that some of you are going to let go and let God.

Lisa Barry: And with that good reminder, it's time to wrap up today's program. I'm sure that everyone listening to me today would love to live a life free of anxiety. Listening to this program was an important step in the right direction. Something else that I'd recommend is a wonderful book entitled THE CHRISTIAN'S SECRET OF A HAPPY LIFE. It's written by Hannah Whitall Smith. Although the title may sound simplistic, I guarantee you the content is not. But don't take my word for it. See for yourself.

The cost for the book is $4. To purchase it, you can send that amount, along with your request, to Gateway To Joy, Box 82500, Lincoln, Nebraska, 68501. Or call toll-free: 1-800-759-4JOY. If you're connected to the Internet, you have a third option that is a real timesaver. By dialing up our Web site, you can order quickly and securely in no time. That address is gatewaytojoy.org. Gateway To Joy is a listener-supported production of Back to the Bible, and I'm glad we can count on you.

Tomorrow Elisabeth reminds us that any burden or care belongs in the hands of Christ. Find out how to do that the next time we meet for Gateway To Joy.