Overcoming Anxiety: Lessons from Moses' Journey

 

Summary

In our new series, "Ancient Anxiety," we explore how the struggles we face today are not new but have been experienced by people throughout history. Today, we focus on Moses, a prominent leader in the Old Testament who dealt with significant self-confidence and anxiety issues. Despite being a hero, Moses was much like us, grappling with fear and uncertainty. His story begins with his birth during a time when the Israelites were enslaved in Egypt. To save him from Pharaoh's decree to kill all Israelite boys, his mother hid him in a basket on the Nile, where he was found and raised by Pharaoh's daughter. This upbringing led to Moses having origin issues, as he struggled with his identity and belonging.

Moses also faced regret issues, as seen when he killed an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew. This act of violence led him to flee to Midian, illustrating how we often run from our past mistakes. Regret can plague us, making us feel disqualified from our future. However, God calls us to take responsibility for our actions and seek forgiveness, reminding us that our past does not define us.

Moses' story also highlights self-confidence issues. Despite God's call to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, Moses doubted his abilities, feeling inadequate and unworthy. This resonates with many of us who struggle with imposter syndrome, believing we are not enough. Yet, God assures us that He is enough, and through Him, we can overcome our insecurities.

To address these issues, we must understand and experience God's truth, often with the support of others. God sent Aaron to support Moses, showing that we need people in our lives who encourage and affirm us. By embracing God's grace and surrounding ourselves with supportive community, we can let go of our baggage and live in freedom.

Key Takeaways:

1. Origin Issues and Identity: Moses' story reminds us that our identity is rooted in God, not our earthly circumstances. Despite his uncertain beginnings, Moses was chosen by God for a great purpose. We, too, are adopted into God's family, and our true origin is with Him. This understanding can help us navigate identity struggles and find peace in who we are. [35:10]

2. Regret and Responsibility: Regret can be a heavy burden, but running from it only prolongs the pain. Moses' flight to Midian illustrates our tendency to escape our past mistakes. However, God calls us to take responsibility and seek His forgiveness, freeing us from the chains of regret and allowing us to move forward with hope. [40:42]

3. Self-Confidence and God's Sufficiency: Moses' self-doubt highlights a common struggle with feeling inadequate. Yet, God reassures us that He is enough. Our confidence should be rooted in His strength, not our own abilities. By trusting in God's sufficiency, we can overcome self-doubt and fulfill our God-given purpose. [46:53]

4. The Power of Community: God provided Moses with Aaron to support him, emphasizing the importance of community. We need people who encourage and affirm us, helping us to see God's truth in our lives. Surrounding ourselves with a supportive community can strengthen our faith and help us overcome challenges. [50:01]

5. Practical Steps to Freedom: To let go of our baggage, we must understand and experience God's truth, often with the help of others. Engaging with Scripture, practicing confession, and seeking supportive relationships are practical steps to experiencing God's freedom. By doing so, we can live a life of purpose and peace. [55:26]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:45] - Introduction to Ancient Anxiety Series
- [02:10] - Moses: A Leader with Anxiety
- [05:30] - Personal Story: Parenting and Confidence
- [10:00] - Moses' Origin Issues
- [15:20] - Regret and Running Away
- [20:00] - The Impact of Past Mistakes
- [25:00] - Self-Confidence Struggles
- [30:00] - God's Assurance to Moses
- [35:10] - Understanding Our True Origin
- [40:42] - Taking Responsibility for Regret
- [46:53] - Trusting in God's Sufficiency
- [50:01] - The Role of Community
- [55:26] - Practical Steps to Freedom
- [57:54] - Closing Prayer and Worship Invitation

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: "Ancient Anxiety" - Moses' Journey

Bible Reading:
1. Exodus 2:1-15
2. Exodus 3:11-12
3. Exodus 4:10-14

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Observation Questions:

1. What were the circumstances surrounding Moses' birth, and how did they contribute to his origin issues? [35:10]

2. How did Moses' actions in Egypt lead to his regret issues, and what was his initial response to these feelings? [40:42]

3. In what ways did Moses express his self-doubt when God called him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt? [46:53]

4. How did God address Moses' self-confidence issues, and what role did Aaron play in this? [52:20]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How might Moses' upbringing in Pharaoh's household have influenced his identity struggles and feelings of belonging? [35:10]

2. What does Moses' flight to Midian reveal about human tendencies to deal with regret and past mistakes? [40:42]

3. How does God's assurance to Moses challenge the common struggle with imposter syndrome and feelings of inadequacy? [46:53]

4. In what ways does the story of Moses and Aaron illustrate the importance of community in overcoming personal challenges? [52:20]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you felt like an outsider in your own life. How can understanding your identity in God help you navigate those feelings? [35:10]

2. Consider a past mistake that still weighs on you. What steps can you take to seek forgiveness and move forward with hope? [40:42]

3. Identify an area in your life where you feel inadequate. How can you shift your confidence from your own abilities to trusting in God's sufficiency? [46:53]

4. Think about the people in your life who support and encourage you. How can you strengthen these relationships to help you overcome personal challenges? [52:20]

5. What practical steps can you take this week to engage with Scripture and experience God's truth in your life? [55:26]

6. Reflect on a time when you ran from a problem instead of facing it. What would taking responsibility look like in that situation now? [43:55]

7. How can you be a supportive community member for someone else struggling with identity, regret, or self-confidence issues? [52:20]

Devotional

Day 1: Our True Identity in God
Moses' life story is a profound reminder that our identity is not determined by our earthly circumstances but is rooted in God. Despite his uncertain beginnings, being born into a time of oppression and raised in a foreign household, Moses was chosen by God for a significant purpose. This divine selection underscores the truth that our true origin is with God, who adopts us into His family. Understanding this can help us navigate identity struggles and find peace in who we are, knowing that we are loved and chosen by God. [35:10]

"But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: 'Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.'" (Isaiah 43:1, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways have you allowed your earthly circumstances to define your identity? How can you begin to embrace your identity as a child of God today?


Day 2: Embracing Responsibility and Forgiveness
Regret can be a heavy burden, often leading us to run from our past mistakes, as Moses did when he fled to Midian after killing an Egyptian. However, God calls us to take responsibility for our actions and seek His forgiveness, which frees us from the chains of regret. By doing so, we can move forward with hope, knowing that our past does not define us. Embracing God's forgiveness allows us to live in the freedom He offers, unburdened by the weight of past mistakes. [40:42]

"Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." (Isaiah 55:7, ESV)

Reflection: Is there a past mistake you are running from? How can you take a step towards taking responsibility and seeking God's forgiveness today?


Day 3: Trusting in God's Sufficiency
Moses' self-doubt and feelings of inadequacy resonate with many who struggle with imposter syndrome. Despite being called by God to lead the Israelites, Moses doubted his abilities. Yet, God reassures us that He is enough, and our confidence should be rooted in His strength, not our own. By trusting in God's sufficiency, we can overcome self-doubt and fulfill our God-given purpose, knowing that He equips us for the tasks He calls us to. [46:53]

"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me." (2 Corinthians 12:9, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel inadequate? How can you begin to trust in God's sufficiency in that area today?


Day 4: The Importance of Community
God provided Moses with Aaron to support him, highlighting the importance of community. We need people who encourage and affirm us, helping us to see God's truth in our lives. Surrounding ourselves with a supportive community can strengthen our faith and help us overcome challenges. By embracing the power of community, we can experience God's love and support through others, which is essential for our spiritual growth and well-being. [50:01]

"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." (Hebrews 10:24-25, ESV)

Reflection: Who in your life encourages and supports you in your faith journey? How can you invest in building a stronger community around you?


Day 5: Experiencing God's Freedom
To let go of our baggage, we must understand and experience God's truth, often with the help of others. Engaging with Scripture, practicing confession, and seeking supportive relationships are practical steps to experiencing God's freedom. By doing so, we can live a life of purpose and peace, free from the burdens of the past and empowered to fulfill our God-given potential. Embracing these practices allows us to walk in the freedom that God offers, living fully in His grace and love. [55:26]

"For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery." (Galatians 5:1, ESV)

Reflection: What is one practical step you can take today to experience more of God's freedom in your life? How can you incorporate this step into your daily routine?

Quotes

Good morning and welcome. My name is Brian and really excited that you guys are here joining us this morning. I want to welcome everybody online. Our online service is always really the first stop for people to come here in person. So we're going to welcome everybody online today if you're joining us. We're starting a brand new series today called Ancient Anxiety. Now what's great about this series and what's great about the Bible is that there is nothing new under the sun. The same issues, the same struggles, the same feelings that we have today are the same things that happened thousands of years ago. And so what we want to do in this series is I want to pick out three different people over the next few weeks in the Old Testament who more than likely went through the same things you and I are wrestling with today. [00:30:37] (50 seconds)


Moses grows up with origin issues. Now origin issues, it's just family issues when you think about it. It's this baggage that you can begin to carry because you don't know exactly maybe where you're from. Maybe you were adopted. Maybe you had a really good relationship with one of your parents, but your other parent kind of disappeared at some point. You know, maybe you're a stepchild, and it just messes the waters up. That could be an origin issue. [00:35:10] (43 seconds)


Now regret issues could look a million different ways, but essentially regret issues are those things where we just make mistakes every once in a while, right? It could be an old life that you live, that you're not living anymore. But whatever issues, these things come out and they begin to plague us, right? I know you're not a kid anymore and you're an adult now, but those things, for whatever reason, that you did back then, they're still nagging around. You're carrying this baggage around. [00:40:42] (33 seconds)


And then there's just like the actions, the mistakes that we've made. There's just a reality. There's a cause and effect to our mistakes. You think about Moses. Moses was a murderer. He killed somebody with his bare hands and buried him in the sand. I mean, it's just a reality. And over the years, I can say, I've sat with a lot of men and women in the church and around the church who are felons. They've made mistakes. They've been convicted. They had to go to jail or prison. And that real terms and real life drags them around wherever they go. They're fearful of the title. They're fearful of the baggage that they have to carry. [00:42:30] (43 seconds)


Realistically, the only way to deal with our regret issues is to take total responsibility. Accept total responsibility of the thing you have done. Right? It's that thing of like, yes, I did it. You got to just acknowledge it and be okay with people understanding it. Yes, this was me, but that's not who I am. [00:45:41] (26 seconds)


You know, this is the thing where you just think they got the wrong guy or gal. You know what I mean? Right? Some might say this is the imposter syndrome. Right? You got the wrong person. Like I'm not enough syndrome. That's the other thing I'd say. Like I'm just not the right guy. I'm not enough. You finally got the job that you want and you keep looking over your shoulder thinking that somebody's going to find you out and figure you out. Right? There's this issue. It's the fact that we're not confident in where we're at now. [00:47:37] (41 seconds)


God's called us to be men and women of God, created, designed, and with a future through him. So what do you do with all these things? What do you do with all these things? Here's what I want you to take away today. Here's what God literally says to Moses, and here's what God does for Moses. These are God's words. Now go, I will help you. Speak and I will help you teach and tell you what to say. [00:51:55] (31 seconds)


But Moses said, pardon your servant. So literally the first most important thing, God says, I'm gonna help you speak and I'm gonna teach you what to say. I'm gonna do everything for you is what God is saying. Immediately Moses backpedals. I'm not the guy, I'm not the guy, I'm not the guy. He says, pardon your servant, Lord, please send someone else. [00:52:59] (23 seconds)


And then, if you can't even believe that still, God's gonna put somebody in your life to help you believe that. You know, God said, we originated from him. So our origin issues, no matter where you're from and who you're from on this earth, we were grafted in, the Bible says, into God's family. So before you're a part of any family here on this earth, you are grafted in, you are adopted by God. You are created by God. Our first origin is with him alone. [00:55:26] (43 seconds)


And then lastly, you're gonna say, yeah, yeah, I'm just not enough, I'm not enough. You're right. You're not, but God is enough. Like truly, God is enough. He's enough for you in the situation you're gonna walk into, you have anxiety about. He's enough in the relationship you have no control over. He's enough. He's enough in the thing that you're struggling with. [00:55:59] (27 seconds)


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Transcript
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