Devotion: Ecclesiastes 11:10

Ecclesiastes 11:10 So then, banish anxiety from your heart and cast off the troubles of your body, for youth and vigor are meaningless.

In this verse we are being instructed to banish anxiety. I don’t know about you, but if I knew how to banish anxiety I would have done it already and long been free. But it is not a one time solution being offered in this verse, or any others this month.

Ecclesiastes is commonly attributed to King Solomon, who was the wisest man in history. If anyone should know how to banish anxiety, it should be this guy. His advice for living a righteous life with purpose begins with banishing anxiety from your heart and the troubles of your body. But verse 11:10 is the end of the chapter and the first verse in the next is, “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, ‘I find no pleasure in them.’” I do not see a solution to banishing anxiety and casting off troubles in the context of the chapters.

So how do we do it? First we begin with prayer, always the best place to begin. But prayer alone won’t fix things. Next you need to learn to take those anxieties captive (2 Corinthians 10:5) and change your inner dialogue. Change your thinking by stopping thoughts as soon as they enter your mind, before they become anxiety. And then we focus on what is true, what is right, whatever is noble… and all of the things from Philippians 4:8.

That is where we begin with banishing anxiety and casting troubles away. Today is the perfect time to begin.

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