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Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)
“Don’t worry!” Two little words that are so easy to say, an action that is so hard, sometimes impossible to do. Sometimes people will tell us ‘don’t worry’ when they have no idea how much pain we are in. Sometimes people will say ‘don’t worry’ and make us feel like our worrying is some terrible sin that questions God’s desire or ability to intervene.
Sometimes we worry about things that don’t matter. Sometimes worry cripples our ability to think clearly or to act wisely. Sometimes we worry about things that are way beyond our control, which frankly, is a waste of time because it doesn’t change anything.
Paul wrote these words of advice to the church in Philippi. This was the small town where Paul and Silas were put in prison for preaching about Jesus. It was cold, dark, damp and no doubt smelly because ancient prisons had no ‘official’ bathroom facilities or showers.
In the midst of all this Paul and Silas sang praises to God! Then an earthquake hit and Paul and Silas were not only set free but had opportunity to lead the jail keeper and his entire family to Jesus. In the midst of calamity and injustice and danger and fear, Paul practiced what he preached!
There is on little phrase in these verses that gives much hope and relief, “pray about everything”. This little phrase reminds us that there is nothing too small to bring to our Heavenly Father. When we were growing up and exploring life we’d bring the smallest leaf, stones and sticks and all sorts of other things to our parents in excitement of what we’d found. In the same way we can come to our Father.
There is nothing to overwhelming to bring to the Father as well. It may be overwhelming to us because we don’t know the facts, we don’t know the future and we see no solution. But our Father in Heaven knows the facts, the solution and how it will all work out in the end.
Sometimes we worry because the situation we are in is a result of our own doing. We are afraid that God will say, “That’s it. That’s the last straw. How many times have I told you not to do that? Well, not this time buster. You are on your own this time.” God will never, ever abandon us. We fail. We fall. We rebel. But we can always come home to the Father for forgiveness.
Spend time today talking with God. Tell him all your concerns, big, small, and insignificant. Ask forgiveness for the things you need forgiveness for and believe you are forgiven. And most of all focus you mind on that fact that God loves you. Spend time thinking of all the blessings He’s bestowed upon you. When we tell Him all our struggles He will work to bring us peace beyond belief.
PRAYER: Holy Father, I thank You today for your love and forgiveness. I praise you for the fact that although you are creator and sustainer of the entire universe you aren’t too big or powerful or important to kneel beside me as a small child with a scuffed knee. There is nothing I can do to separate me from your love. Help me to give all my worries to you today. Amen.
When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things. Psalm 104:28
Growing up I remember listening to a Pastor’s wife telling a group of us about her years growing up as a ‘Missionary Kid’. Her father was the pastor of a small struggling church and her mother worked at a nearby hospital that was run by a larger church in the area. Her parents were not missionaries to some obscure remote jungle area where they lived in complete isolation. It was a Western European country with a standard of living much like her homeland of the United States of America.
She told, with humor now, about some of the things the family received from very well meaning people in the states. Christmas presents for the kids that were obviously used and sometimes broken, clothes with holes in them and two or three sizes larger than the sizes asked for ‘so the kids could grow into them, and other similar stories. The two that stuck in my head were the box of used tea bags from a dear prayer warrior who attached a note saying she’d only used them once!
Another time a package arrived with sheets in them that were full of holes and of no value for the beds. “Mom and Dad figured that the women’s group from this particular church sent them thinking that they could be used for bandages since that is all some missionaries had for bandages in the early 20th century.” So they sent off a note thanking the women for the bandages (and promptly cut them up for rags!). Months later they received a letter from a friend in that same church telling the truth about the ‘bandages’. These were sheets that a couple of the church women had gathered to send to the family to use on their beds because “they still had some value!”
God gives us good gifts! The things He provides for us aren’t used, leftovers or discarded pieces of trash no one else wanted. He knows us. He knows what we need. As a loving Father He gives us just what we will have to have to make it through the day.
The Psalmist writes, in Psalm 102 that ‘You open your hand and they are satisfied with good things.’ That reminds me of the time in the wilderness when God provided Manna for the children of Israel. We still are not sure what manna was. What we know is that it tasted good and supplied nourishment for over a million people for forty years (along with the quail).
There was another interesting thing about the Manna. The people of Israel could go out and gather and eat as much Manna as they wanted and eat to their hearts content. But if they gathered too much it was rotten in the morning.
God’s lesson for them is the same as His lesson for us. He gives us just what we need for today. We can count on the fact that tomorrow He’ll do the same; and the day after that; and the day after that. There was no reason for the Israelites to worry about what they would eat tomorrow. When tomorrow came the manna would be there.
God gives good gifts. God gives us all we need to make it through today. There will be bumps along the way. There will be times we aren’t sure we’ll make it another day. But He has our tomorrows covered and He’ll strengthen us for the tasks of today if we trust in Him. God loves us.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, Creator sustainer of the entire universe. I thank you today for your provision. During those times when I fear the future or don’t understand today I praise You for the fact that I can look in the rear-view mirror and see how you have provided for my every need with good things. Things I needed, not necessarily wanted. Help me to live this day resting in the promise of your good and faithful provision. Amen.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
There are perhaps no words more devastating than the words “There’s nothing more we can do.” It could be the words of the doctor after the test results come back. On a far lighter scale it could be as the scoreboard clock registers zero and the ball falls harmlessly to the floor. Whatever the reason, those words bring indescribable agony to each of us.
There is, however, a time when these words can bring refreshment and life. That is when we each come to a point where we fully realize that there is no way we can live the way God wants us too. That’s when we come to the end of ourselves and admit that we don’t have what it takes to break that addiction, heal that relationship or endure the pain of illness or financial disaster.
The point when each of us falls to our knees and, in agony cries out to God that “There’s nothing I can do! I’m helpless!” is when His grace takes over. The bar that is set for us to live pleasing lives for God is too high for human achievement and effort.
That’s what Grace is about. That’s why Jesus came to die. He did it so that you could experience the freedom of life with God even though you are weak, stubborn or are hounded by addictions and relational dysfunction.
The Creator God of the universe knew we would not be able to measure up to His standards. That’s why He sent Jesus to die for us. Now we can experience the undeserved favor He has in store for us.
The ultimate irony in all this is that often times we as Christ-followers gladly accept the free gift of forgiveness and then turn around and try to ‘earn it’ by doing all sorts of things to appease God. Some of the things we do are very good things. For example, fill in the blank for this sentence. “To be a good Christian I need to __________________.”
Some of the possible answers could be: Go to church every Sunday; Read the Bible and pray every day; belong to a small group Bible study; and the list goes on. These are all very good things and important for our spiritual growth. However we don’t need to do those things to appease God. The debt is paid! There’s nothing more that needs to be done.
God doesn’t expect perfection from us. That’s why He is a God of second and third and forth chances. When you make a bad choice or stumble again ask for forgiveness and for the strength to do better next time. Then move on. Don’t allow the daily mistakes you make keep you from the freedom you have in Jesus. Jesus doesn’t keep score or compare you to others. His gift is free to all!
PRAYER: Heavenly Father. Some days I feel like I’m the least worthy of anyone to be forgiven. I’m stubborn, rebellious and rely on myself to get through life. Thank you for your free gift of Jesus. Forgive me for trying to gain your approval or for trying to do life my way. Empower me to live in the freedom you intended for me to have through your Grace. Amen.
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33
Worry. It’s one of the greatest crippling influences of lives. The dictionary defines worry as “Tormenting oneself with or to suffer from disturbing thoughts.” There is NOTHING positive about worry and it does nothing healthy for our lives!
In a recent survey researchers discovered that 92% of the things people worry about either never happen, have happened in the past or are out of our control. That means that only 8% of the things we worry about are things that we have any hope of changing, and worrying about them won’t change a thing.
One day Jesus was teaching on a mountain top. I imagine that as people listened to His teaching they were enjoying the fresh mountain air. There were flowers nearby and birds soaring above. Jesus, the master teacher, used the moment to teach us a valuable truth. “Look around,” He said. “Look at the flowers. Do they worry about what their clothes look like? Do the birds concern themselves with having storage barns and cupboards full of food for the future?” We might add, do animals worry about retirement funds and 401K’s and their children’s college fund? The answer to all the above is a resounding “NO, of course not!”
As followers of Jesus Christ we need to constantly remind ourselves that we don’t need to worry about tomorrow. It’s not easy to admit, but often the things we worry about are a result of a lack of true belief in who we serve. If we serve a God that is like an angry, abusive or apathetic father, then we have reason for concern. We are on our own.
If however, we serve a God that is a loving, responsible, caring father we have nothing to fear. As a Loving Father He sees to our needs, encourages us in our weakness and forgives us when we fail. Someone once said, “Worrying is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do, but it gets you nowhere.”
Don’t allow yourself to be tormented by the thoughts of what could have been or what might be. Focus instead on the fact that you have a Loving Heavenly Father who wants to give you the best life can offer. Grow closer to Him in your walk through daily prayer, bible reading and fellowship with Christ honoring believers. The things of your past can be forgiven simply by asking. The future is in the hands of a Loving Heavenly Father. Ask for wisdom on your part in following Him today.
Title: Overheard in an Orchard
Said the Robin to the Sparrow, “I should really like to know
Why these anxious human beings; Rush about and hurry so.”
Said the Sparrow to the Robin, “Friend, I think that it must be
That they have no Heavenly Father; Such as cares for you and me.”
— Elizabeth Cheney
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I thank you today that you know my past and my future. I acknowledge that I believe you are willing to walk with me every day and that you know my tomorrows. Help me to have the strength to forget my past and the wisdom to face the future. Give me the power to deal with today and leave the rest in your hands. Amen.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 