Sunday’s Exhortation

Do you tend to worry? Do you let small things bother you so much that you can’t think of anything else except that one small thing? This describes me…I am still learning not to worry, but it’s a hard thing for me. I am a champion worrier, much to the dismay of my loved ones and my own body. I tell myself that I have let it go and next thing you know, that concern has popped right into my head again. So, this is my exhortation to you and to me today and into the future.

I don’t really worry about food or clothing, but I do sometimes worry about issues with my body and things around me that need repairs that I don’t have the money for. I think that this Scripture applies to anything and everything that we are worrying about. We need to let it go and trust God to take care of things for us. No, He is not suddenly going to make all the needed repairs, but I believe that He can keep them going until we do have the finances to repair or replace them.

This right here is where our focus needs to be, on God and His kingdom and His righteousness. If our focus is on God, then it is not on the things that concern us. I have found that mostly what I worry about doesn’t even end up happening, so I am choosing to let go, one day, one hour, one minute at a time and believe that God is taking care of it for me.

That being said, I would appreciate prayers for our upcoming trips to graduations. Thank you in advance and God bless you!

What Ifs and Hiding Your Feelings

www.bible.com/reading-plans/26293/day/15

This devotional really hit me right where it hurts this morning. Innumerable times, I have a situation that is less than ideal and I try to comfort myself with “what ifs”, imagining the worst that could happen and what God can do to help out. I have found that generally the situational “what ifs” don’t happen. The only place they come to fruition are in my mind, and that is not a good thing for my stress level.

The other part of the devotional that spoke clearly to me is the part about hiding my feelings. I do that a lot because I have been trained by life experiences that people either don’t want to hear it or don’t really listen. For example, I have given up on telling my husband how frustrated I am with living in a rural area, far from medical care that we are needing more often. He is determined to stay here, so I just don’t talk to him about it. I hide my feelings and again, that is not good for my stress level.

On the plus side, as I wait, I do wait expectantly for God to act in spite of the “what ifs” and I tell God honestly how I am feeling. He can work on my husband’s heart if He feels it is necessary and that’s a good thing. I can just let go and trust God. Isn’t that what we are supposed to do anyway?

Give Back to God

www.bible.com/reading-plans/9115/day/2

This devotional hit me hard because I have not been giving things back to God with which He has blessed me, especially our children. Instead, I have a tendency to cling to them tightly, afraid to let them out of my sight or mind lest something happen to them. I have been learning the lesson of letting go for a while now, and I confess that I am not there yet. I need to let my children go. I am disappointed daily in their lack of a relationship with God, or even a desire for one. So, I pray for them over and over, the same prayers. Knowing that their eternal destiny is in the balance, I want to commit them to God and let Him handle their disbelief and the questions that they have raised about Him. Our sons have bought into a lot of the lies of the current culture and I feel that only God can restore them in truth. I want to be like Hannah and give them back to God. Many years ago, they were dedicated to the Lord in church; may the Lord receive that dedication and continue to work in their hearts as I strive to let them go.