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Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:34
Worry. It’s the great crippler of mankind. Worry keeps us from doing new things because we are afraid of failure. Worry keeps us from making a stand because we fear rejection. Worry can lead us to sin because we fear that others will think us stuffy and intolerant if we don’t go along with their way of thinking.
One wonders how many useful inventions will never be found because worry kept the inventor from trying his design; how many athletes will never experience the euphoria of victory because they feared failure and did not try; how many books will never be written because those who have been given a story never write.
Jesus spoke often against fear. Imagine Him standing on a hillside overlooking a lake. He asks those within the sound of his voice to look around. “Look at the flowers. Have you ever seen anything so beautiful? Have you ever seen anyone who can make something to enduring, so fragile and as comforting as a flower? How did they get that way? From worry? Of course not! They just allowed God to work through them. They didn’t worry about where the next shower would come from or when the wind would stop blowing. They live each day in the place they are planted and let God take care of the rest.
Then, as an eagle glided over the water in search of its next meal He said, “Observe the birds. Do they have storage bins and savings accounts? Do they work hard today to plan for retirement tomorrow? NO! They rely on their Heavenly Father for everything they need and He supplies it for them.”
Jesus isn’t teaching us that we should not work. He isn’t degrading the idea of planning for the future. What He’s telling each of us is that our main motivation of all we do is to make this day the best we can make it. Live each moment with the anticipation that the things we do will make a difference in the lives of others and show Christ’s love in a way that will lift their spirits.
People do all sorts of things to deal with fear, worry and anxiety. They hide behind money that will burn. They bury those fears under drugs, alcohol or other harmful activities. They build up their own feelings of worth by destroying others. But none of those things last. Only trust in Jesus endures time.
Don’t worry about tomorrow. Live today in a way that will be free of regrets because your actions, attitudes and words build others up and show the love of Jesus to everyone you meet.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father. I thank you that in your wisdom you know my fears and my anxieties. You know the things I’m doing in my life to try to hide my fear. You know they aren’t working and the pain I’m in. Please free me from fear through the forgiveness and love of Jesus. Help me to live for today and trust you with my tomorrow. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen.
Your beginnings will seem humble, so prosperous will your future be. Job 8:7
There are times when all of us can identify with some parts of the story of Job. Those times when God seems distant; when everything is going wrong and we can’t get a handle on solutions. Those are the tough times along the journey. The times when the rocks and dust along the path choke our desire to go on. The times when our heart is faint as we view the gaping chasms that drop on each side of the road.
All too often we can add to that misery the myriads of people who see our dilemma and feel it is their duty to ‘cure us of our disease’ by offering all sorts of advice and suggestions. All too often these well-meaning ‘messiahs’ don’t take the time to consider our past or what we are going through. Emotional and spiritual battles are not solved by one-size-fits-all bandages.
Enter Bildad, Jobs friend. In the midst of his pain and devastation Job’s friends gathered around to tell him exactly what his problem was and how to fix it. The problem is, as is often the case, they were off base on their assumptions and too proud to admit their ignorance. They were no help at all!
Each of us has a ‘Bildad’ or two in our lives. People that have all the answers to all the world’s problems. They may be well-intentioned, but they are often of little or no help.
There are two things we need to realize when we run across the ‘Bildad’s’ of life. First of all, most of them are well-intentioned and we should do our best to accept them grace-fully even though their assumptions are not valid.
Secondly, as with Bildad in Job 8:7, there is some truth to be gleaned from their words. While the basis of Bildad’s tirade was false, verse 7 holds a nugget of truth each of us can hold on to when the road is rocky and our journey is in jeopardy.
Too often in life we want it all now. Setbacks can cause us to give up completely. We live in a microwave world and serve a God that works more along the lines of a crock pot. He brings things about slowly which is harder for us to take, but better in the long run.
Job suffered unbearably. Still, in the end his faith and perseverance paid off. He was able to see all his riches restored. It’s the same for us today as Christ-followers. Even though you may fail to see any good in what you are going through. Even though your health may be failing, your kids rebelling, your boss (or employees) is jerks. Patient waiting on God will bring all things about in His time, not ours.
God loves you. He wants to see you succeed in life. He wants to provide you with the best life can offer. Sometimes it just takes longer to get where you want to be. Trust Him to show you the way today.
PRAYER: Holy God. I thank you today for the fact that you know all about what I’m going through. Even though they are hard to deal with, I thank you for the ‘Bildad’s’ that cross my path. Help me to be patient with them and to try to see some truth in what they say. Most importantly help me to grow closer to you and wait for your working in the trials I’m going through. Amen.
“You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,” Psalm 30:11
In Old Testament times when people were in deep distress they would put on sackcloth and wail in anguish. This was particularly true when they mourned over the death of a loved one. As it is today, this was perhaps the deepest agony of all. Death brings with it the loss of dreams, the loss of companionship and the loss of hope for the future.
In Psalm 30 David recounts the many times that God has delivered his people from a variety of disappointments and tragedies. In verse 11 of this song of praise he tells us how, in the midst of their agony God brought them joy. The rough and uncomfortable clothing of sackcloth became clothing of joy and comfort. Their songs of agony became songs of praise.
As we travel along the journey we call life there are many times when tragedy comes upon us. It can be the death of a loved one, or the loss of a job or a broken relationship. People we trust let us down. We let people down we trust and love dearly. We grow old and change becomes harder to adjust too. Health and financial woes remove our hopes and dreams.
How we react to the hard times of life is really up to us. We can dwell on the pain or we can allow God to turn even our own most desperate times into a time of joy and comfort. How we respond to adversity is largely dependent on our view of God and of ourselves.
If we allow the words and actions of other people to determine how we feel about ourselves and God then we will feel the pain of life’s disappointments. Life will seem hopeless. Pain and discomfort will be the rule of our days and sleeplessness will spend the night with us.
If we realize God’s great love and provision for us then we enable Him to make our darkest times to be times of comfort and joy. It is only God that can take the sackcloth of our mistakes and the abuse of others and turn it to joy. It is only through God’s love that we can endure the hardship of tragedy that comes our way.
You are a child of the God of the universe. You are His most cherished possession and the apple of His eye. Leave the ashes and sackcloth of yesterdays mistakes and abuse be replaced with the comfort of God’s love for you. Replace the wailing for the failures and tragedies of the past with praise for the fact that through faith in Jesus Christ you will see a better tomorrow.
You won’t find lasting joy here on earth through relationships, toys, wealth, power or popularity. Lasting joy comes only through complete faith in Jesus and the realization of God’s great love for you.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I’m in such turmoil today. You know the pain I’m feeling. You know the mistakes and tragedies of my past that handcuff me. I’m trapped by feelings of hopelessness and despair. To be honest there have been times of late when I’ve doubted your love or even your presence. I ask that you would empower me through faith in Jesus and the power of your Spirit to clothe myself with your joy and comfort even as I walk through these dark and lonely times. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 