I keep a little saying taped onto my desk area. It reads:

“My child, You worry too much.
I’ve got this. Remember?
Love, God”

I recall finding that online one day and thinking, that’s for me! It just felt like God wrote that one directly to me, a little note of fatherly tenderness that I desperately needed to hear.

Then I saw an article about the amount of time we likely spend worrying over the course of a lifetime, hours and hours that we never get back. Once upon a time we probably worried about school tests, grades, and whether our friends would accept us. We went on to shift our worries to job interviews, budgets, rising prices, “the in-laws”, and the kids. Here at Joy, many of us have made it through those – now we may more likely worry about our health or the issues of aging. But whatever the focal point, today’s worrying is just as useless as those worries years ago.

God has not promised a life free from sorrow or pain. We have had tough days, and there will be challenging times in our future. But God has promised that even in the difficult times, when it seems like He’s forgotten us, He will still be there — we will not be alone

“ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

The message is simple but profound. Ask God for what you need; but ask with a thankful heart. Sounds simple, doesn’t it. Worry puts the focus in the wrong place, on us and our limitations. Thankfulness puts the focus on God and His gracious goodness. Thankfulness brings God’s peace; aha, and that is profound! As the verses say, “It is beyond human understanding.” Perhaps these verses can help ease your worries and calm your days.

Remember: God really does want you to feel His peace; He loves you; He loves you unconditionally.

Posted in October 2016 by Judy