Category Archives: Worry

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September 20, 2014

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Faith & Hope, God's Plan, God's Promises, Prayer, Worry

A GODSEND

We don’t know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit himself speaks to God for us. He begs God for us, speaking to him with feelings too deep for words. God already knows our deepest thoughts. And he understands what the Spirit is saying, because the Spirit speaks for his people in the way that agrees with what God wants. We know that in everything God works for the good of those who love him. These are the people God chose, because that was his plan. [Romans 8:26b-28 (ERV)]

The three of us had been trying to solve a difficult situation for most of the summer. No solution seemed quite right. Not knowing how we were going to deal with this problem, I had simply given it to God, praying that He would guide us. We didn’t know what we needed exactly but surely He would provide whatever it was. As our deadline for a decision approached, we began to fret over finding the correct resolution. Suddenly, we realized the answer was looking us in the face. God had provided exactly what we required! Some would say it was a stroke of luck to find the answer to our prayers, a person, at a time in her life when she needed us as well. Luck had nothing to do with it. This person is truly a Godsend. I have no doubt that God saw our need, and hers, and set a series of events in place over the summer that brought us all together at exactly the right time.

Thank you, Lord, for your provision and for knowing what we need far better than we ourselves do.

I am praying to you in my time of trouble. I know you will answer me. [Psalm 86:7 (ERV)]

I will answer them before they call for help. I will help them before they finish asking. [Isaiah 65:24 (ERV)]

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August 1, 2014

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Today: Make it Count, Trusting God, Worry

DON’T TRIP ON YOUR TROUBLE

So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today. [Matthew 6:34 (NLT)]

Our anxiety about everything that can go wrong tomorrow can cause us to miss enjoying everything that went right today. Occasionally, however, we’re so concerned about the potential predicaments of tomorrow that we overlook the obvious troubles of this day. While we’re busy contemplating all sorts of hypothetical future difficulties, we may fail to notice the problems or danger signs that are right in front of us.

Lord, stop us from focusing so intently on the mountains we might have to climb tomorrow. Don’t let us trip over the molehills that are in front of us today!

The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time. [Abraham Lincoln]

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June 24, 2014

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Attitudes & Behavior, Fear & Doubt, Joy, Today: Make it Count, Worry

JOY TO YOU

This day is holy to God. Don’t feel bad. The joy of God is your strength! [Nehemiah 8:10b (MSG)]

From the moment we’re born, we’re already dying. Our task is to live life to the fullest until we die: to live while dying. I had a friend who recently passed away. I miss her, but my greatest sorrow is that, while she was alive, she was simply dying while living. Her mindset would have made Eyore in “Winnie the Pooh” look like an optimist. Instead of savoring each day as the gift it was, she could always find something about which to complain. Misery was her favorite color.

We can face each day with fear and dread, anger and disappointment, regret and resentment or we can face it with confidence and hope, love and joy, anticipation and excitement. The choice is ours and ours alone. Let God fill your heart with His love and peace. May the joy of the Lord be your strength this and every day.

There’s a decision we all have to make, and it seems perfectly captured in the Winnie-the-Pooh characters created by A.A. Milne. Each of us must decide: Am I a fun loving Tigger or am I a sad-sack Eeyore? Pick a camp. [Randy Pausch, from “The Last Lecture”]

Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies. [Philippians 4:8-9 (MSG)]

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June 14, 2014

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God's Promises, Nature, Worry

THE EARLY BIRD GETS THE WORM

2014-6-13Look at the birds. They don’t plant, harvest, or gather the harvest into barns. Yet, your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they? Can any of you add a single hour to your life by worrying? [Matthew 6:26-27 (GW)]

Jesus tells us not to worry and that God will take care of us. He doesn’t, however, tell us to sit back and do nothing.

June was the official start of hurricane season and the Florida newspapers were filled with articles about hurricane preparedness. In fact, several days were even set aside as sales tax holidays on hurricane supplies. Yet, I guarantee that there will be some people who, when the hurricane hits, won’t have the flashlights and batteries, the extra water and the other emergency supplies they should have stock-piled. Are they the ones who simply trust God to provide or are they the ones who have ignored God’s provision because it involved effort on their part?

Yes, God will provide all we require to meet our needs, but let us never make the mistake of thinking there won’t be some work on our part, as well. After all, the robin still has to wake early to get the worm, the egret has to get his feet wet to catch the fish, and the woodpecker has to drill into the bark for bugs.

I am a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it. [Thomas Jefferson]

So don’t ever worry about tomorrow. After all, tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. [Matthew 6:34 (GW)]

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June 9, 2014

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Faith & Hope, Fear & Doubt, Joy, Trusting God, Worry

LET’S GET OUT OF THE DARK ROOM

I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears. [Psalm 34:4 (NLT)]

Fear and worry are powerful emotions; they can keep us from living the confident and joy-filled life our Father in Heaven has in mind for us. They lose their power, however, when we trust God. Trusting God doesn’t mean that we will never have difficulties. What it does mean is that, even if our worst fears come true, we will never have to face them alone; God is with us.

Worry is the darkroom in which negatives are developed! [Anonymous bit of bumper sticker wisdom]

Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. [1 Peter 5:7 (NLT)]

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April 29, 2014

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Attitudes & Behavior, Obedience, Worry

Will We Rest or Resist?

Who heard God’s voice and was against him? It was all those people Moses led out of Egypt. And with whom was God angry for forty years? He was angry with those who sinned, who died in the desert. And to whom was God talking when he promised that they would never enter his rest? He was talking to those who did not obey him. So we see they were not allowed to enter and have God’s rest, because they did not believe. [Hebrews 3:16-19 (NCV)]

Although we all appreciate a good night’s sleep, the rest we find in God doesn’t come from a Serta mattress or a sleep-number bed. In God’s rest, our frustrations, exhaustion, fears, and doubts are replaced with the comfort of His presence, renewed energy, hope and peace. This rest, however, depends on our willingness to accept God’s will and follow His way. It was recently pointed that the words “rest” and “resist” are similar; the only difference is the letter “i.” As long as I resist giving up my burdens and as long as I resist His will, I will have no rest!

I find rest in God; only he gives me hope. [Psalm 62:5 (NCV)]