God’s people panicked! God had led them into a place without body-sustaining water to drink, “according to the LORD’s command” (Ex. 17:1 CSB). In His will, with His presence, they again literally thirsted. It all followed His manna and quail miracle, His water miracle at Marah, and His miraculous rescue at the Red Sea.
But what was their knee-jerk reaction as sinners? How quickly their anxiety about discomfort and dehydration then became sin! They blamed Moses and demanded that he fix things, complained to each other, grumbled, doubted God’s power to help, doubted His sustaining presence, and forgot His promises. They assumed the worst outcome ahead.
They were seized with craving in the wilderness and tested God in the desert (Ps. 106:14 CSB).
We are no different, are we? But when our body and brain’s natural fear in a painful and dangerous situation (God’s protective design) then flips into temptation to sin, we can resist the same sin of testing our Lord…by turning to our Lord, with what I call a “praise interruption!”
Moses’ turning to our Lord, filled with anxiety: Have Thine own way, Lord!
Moses cried to the Lord, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me” (Ex. 17:4 ESV).
Have thine own way, Lord! Have thine own way!
Wounded and weary, help me, I pray!
(“Have Thine Own Way, Lord,” Pollard, A.A., 1906)
He split rocks in the wilderness and gave them drink abundantly as from the deep.
He made streams come out of the rock and caused waters to flow down like rivers (Ps. 78:15-16 ESV).
Power, all power, surely is thine!
Touch me and heal me, Savior divine!
Sarah’s turning to our Lord, filled with anxiety: Have Thine own way, Lord!
One of the subscribers to Singing Christ’s Hope, Sarah, told me this story:
“I was feeling anxious that morning because it was the day I had to have gum surgery. I was dreading it. Gum surgery is difficult as you are awake and can’t feel pain during the surgery, but have to remain calm as you feel all of the poking and prodding in your mouth. A graft is taken from the roof of your mouth and sewn onto receding gums in a different area.
As the surgery began and my anxiety was building, I closed my eyes and immediately heard the hymn flood into my mind, ‘Have Thine Own Way, Lord.’ I needed to stay calm, and I kept singing the hymn line, ‘Wounded and weary, help me, I pray.’
As I worked to stay calm and get through the surgery, I kept my mind focused on Jesus through praise. The Lord reminded me that ‘perfect love casts out fear’ and that ‘those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength.’
Over and over, my mind sang, ‘Have thine own way, Lord, have thine own way.’ At the end of the surgery, I knew I had made it through because of the ‘praise interruptions’ of my anxious thoughts.”
Have thine own way, Lord! Have thine own way!
Thou art the potter; I am the clay.
Mold me and make me after thy will,
while I am waiting, yielded and still.
Jesus’ turning to our Father in His thirst: Have Thine own way, Lord!
Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil (Mt. 4:1 ESV).
Have thine own way, Lord! Have thine own way!
Search me and try me, Master, today!
Jesus said to [Satan], “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test” (Mt. 4:7 ESV).
Whiter than snow, Lord, wash me just now,
as in thy presence humbly I bow.
Turning to our Lord, singing to Him when we’re filled with anxiety: Have Thine own way, Lord!
What happens when we turn TO God and sing to Him as we’re experiencing anxiety? For me, it’s been His daily gift into my chronic illnesses and pain.
Our brain’s thinking or cognitive area begins to engage with the lyrics. At the same time, positive hormones and morphine-like neurotransmitters are released. As we pray-sing (or, in the case of Sarah, audiate or “hear” the song in our minds), our bodies then begin to relax, simultaneously helping us to notice our anxious thoughts and replace them with Biblical truths about God; we sing what is true according to His Word. We’re then able to humbly yield ourselves to our Lord, experiencing greater peace, comfort, and acceptance in our thought process.
Do not be conformed to this world, but
be transformed
by the renewal of your mind,
that by testing you may discern what is the will of God,
what is good
and acceptable
and perfect (Rom. 12:2 ESV).
Have thine own way, Lord! Have thine own way!
Hold o’er my being absolute sway!
![Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, “Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” Now this [Jesus] said about the Spirit (Jn. 7:38-39 ESV).](https://i0.wp.com/laurihogle.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Jn.-7-38-39.jpg?resize=300%2C300&ssl=1)
Fill with thy Spirit till all shall see
Christ only, always, living in me!
Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert (Is. 43:19 ESV)!
His way for us when we’re anxious and thirsty? It’s His new way!
A Scriptural truth playlist to help us turn to Jesus when we’re filled with anxiety, His new way for us
Beloved in Christ, by His grace, through His empowering Spirit within, let’s both turn to our Lord with our very real anxieties in life’s scary sufferings. We don’t need to thirst like an unbeliever does in this anxious world!
Let’s not test our Savior and Lord; let’s not put Him on trial in sinful unbelief. Instead, let’s sing His Word’s truth to Him, turning to Jesus with our every plausible fear.
If it would bless you in this temptation to sinfully test God when you’re hit with anxiety too (because we all are!), sign up here, and this week’s playlist gift will come to your email, along with your access to a resource library filled with playlists to help us turn to Jesus in our anxiety. This retired music therapist is continuing to do so, and it’s a joy to share this calming music with you!
Other resources of Singing Christ’s Hope, into the anxiety of suffering
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