Scriptures: Isaiah 40:31, Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord 

Who do you trust? We never really have the opportunity to think about these things until we’re in the midst of a storm or until faith is tested. A broken relationship, loss of a loved one, or an issue with your finances may have you reaching out for someone to lean on or a friend who could offer you wisdom, but it can be difficult to know who to confide in. In our darkest hour, who do you trust? 

The dictionary defines trust as assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something. Trust can be hard to embrace for a lot of us because we live in a broken world surrounded by imperfect people. We are shocked when friends let us down, tragedies occur, and our troubles seem never-ending. But let’s face it, broken things aren’t supposed to work right. Yet, in all this, we can have peace knowing that nothing takes God by surprise. There is a quote by Adrian Rogers that says, “Has it ever occurred to you that nothing ever occurs to God?” He is able to turn all things around for good for those who love Him and not just some things, but all things. The problem is we want to experience God’s miracles, but we don’t want to be in a place where we need one. We want our faith and trust to increase, but we don’t want to go through the necessary training. 

The Bible tells the story of Moses and the Israelites, who were in a bad place; they had the Egyptians behind them and the Red Sea in front of them, and they were out of options. But—they were right in the center of God’s will. They would not have been able to witness His mighty power to separate the waters had they not been in an impossible situation. 

Like the Israelites, how can we personally know that God is trustworthy and has the ability, strength, and power to solve our biggest problems if we never have any? 

We honor the Lord when we choose to trust Him. Faith in Him also means faith in His ability, timing, and methods. 

Yes, we live in an imperfect world, but we have a perfect God, who reminds us that even the eagle needs turbulence in order to rise above and soar. 

PRAY:
Dear Lord, You are faithful, good, and always with me. Thank you that I can trust You with all my heart. 

REFLECT: 
“We cannot always trace God’s hand, but we can always trust God’s heart.” – Charles Spurgeon

Scriptures: 1 Peter 5:7, Luke 12:25-31, Matthew 6:34, Philippians 4:6, Isaiah 26:3

Why Worry?

Many times in the Bible we are admonished to not worry. Since that’s the case, then worry is a choice. When we worry, we allow our minds to dwell on difficulty or troubles. The difference between worry and concern is where you place God in relationship to your trouble. Worry takes God out of the equation and only focuses on the problem. When we have a genuine concern, we should take it to the Lord, listen for His guidance, and focus on Him. Philippians 4:6 reminds us not to worry about anything, but instead pray about everything. 

A little girl was overheard speaking to her mom and said, “Did you know that worry is pretending?” Her mom asked her to explain and she responded, “if we belong to Jesus we have nothing to worry about.” She continued, “The devil is loud and yells at us to worry, but God is quiet so we have to be still and listen because He whispers.” The best part of her declaration is when she made a point to say, “God whispers.” What a beautiful visual showing how close He is. This fact alone should chase our anxious thoughts away. 

If we choose to worry, we are rehearsing tragedy. Mark Twain said it best when he stated, “I’ve lived through some terrible things in my life, some of which actually happened.” This harmful behavior opens the door for anxiety and stress to enter. If left unchecked, worry will steal our health and our happiness. 

Proverbs 17:22 states, “a cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bone.” Worry can make us sick. Medical research estimates that as much as 90 percent of illness and disease is due to stress. We were never created to worry but to trust. We honor God when we trust Him and believe that He can handle anything that comes our way. 

Jesus tells us not to worry about tomorrow because each day has enough trouble of its own (see Matthew 6:34). If there is something we can do to fix a problem, then we should do it—our concern should motivate us to action. If there is nothing we can do, then it’s useless to worry about things out of our control. 

Today, make a choice to trust God by refusing to worry. 

PRAY:
Dear Jesus, thank you that I can give all my worries to You because You care for me. Help me to focus on You and not my fears. 

REFLECT:
What are you focusing on today? If you keep your mind fixed on God, He will replace your anxious thoughts with perfect peace.

Scriptures: 2 Corinthians 3:5, John 6:9, 1 Samuel 17:49, Judges 15:15

What Is That In Your Hand? 

Do you have a desire to be used by God but feel like you aren’t qualified, or you have nothing to offer? 

In Exodus 4:2, we find Moses making excuses because he felt inadequate to do the job God called him to do. God’s response was, “What is that in your hand?” And Moses said, “A staff.” 

God then proceeded to display His strength and power to perform miracles using the shepherd’s staff that was in Moses’ hand. 

We see this scenario often in scripture: 

God used a little boy’s lunch to feed 5000 when He used what was in his hand (John 6:9).

David’s slayed Goliath by using the stones in his hand (1 Samuel 17:49).

God used the jawbone of a donkey in Samson’s hand (Judges 15:15).

The requirement to be used in mighty ways for God is not talent, strength, money, or education. The requirement is simply a willing heart that chooses to trust in God’s strength and provision. He can use whatever we surrender to him. When we do, our all-powerful God takes it from there and carries out miracles that we get to be part of. 

Recently, a movie was made based on the true story of a little boy who was concerned about the homeless being cold. He used all that he had, emptied his piggy bank, and bought a blanket. Soon, one blanket turned into 5000 blankets (which is the name of the movie) and the start of a non-profit ministry was born. He understood that he wasn’t qualified, but he trusted in the One who is. If a seven-year-old boy can be used by God to make the world a better place, then we are without excuse. 

With that in mind, “What is that in your hand?” 

PRAY:
Heavenly Father, thank you for choosing to work through Your children. May we surrender our fears in exchange for the confidence that comes from trusting in Your power and might. Remind our hearts that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. 

REFLECT: 
Everything we have is a gift from God. What we do with it is our gift to Him. What gifts can you offer Him today?

Scriptures: Joshua 1:9, Proverbs 28:1, 2 Timothy 1:7, Psalms 27:1

Are You Safe? 

In today’s world, we place a high value on safety and tend to worship at the altar of convenience avoiding discomfort at all cost. This should not be the case for God’s children. 

Throughout scripture, we find that God is glorified and our faith is strengthened when safety and comfort are secondary to following Him. His desire is for us to live in the faith zone—not the safe zone. 

When Jesus invited Peter to jump out of a boat during a storm—that wasn’t safe. 

When God called Moses to meet Him at the top of Mount Sinai amid thunder, lightning, earthquakes, fire, and smoke—that wasn’t safe. 

When the Israelites were being chased by the Egyptian army, they didn’t run away on dry land but instead obeyed and walked straight into a sea—that wasn’t safe. 

God is all-powerful and fears nothing. When we understand that our safety and security are only found in Him, we too can be bold and fearless. When we trust and obey His voice, He is glorified, our faith is strengthened, and our love for Him grows. 

If Peter chose safety over following Jesus, He would not have experienced the miracle of walking on water. 

It took courage for Moses to climb Mount Sinai but had he not, he would have missed being in the presence of God Himself. His faith allowed him to witness God’s Shekinah glory as well as the honor of personally speaking with Him. 

If the Israelites chose to take the safer path of the hard ground over sinking waters, they would not have been able to witness the power of God to rescue them by miraculously separating the waters of the Red Sea. 

Our Heavenly Father commands us not to be afraid or discouraged because He is with us. Jesus never sat on the sidelines, and neither should we. As His representatives, we must be bold and take courage, understanding that a soul sealed by God is eternally safe. For those who have put their faith in Jesus, even death has been conquered and our victory secured. 

When we walk with Him, the one who isn’t safe is the enemy of our souls. 

We become dangerous. 

PRAY:
Dear Lord, Thank You that we have nothing to fear with You by our side. May we never sit on the sidelines as spectators but instead be active participants whose actions glorify You and make this world a better place. 

REFLECT:
Do you tend to live in the safe zone or the faith zone?

Scriptures: Psalms 119:114, Colossians 3:3, Psalms 91:1-4, Matthew 11:29-30

Where Do You Hide? 

So they inquired again of the Lord, “Is there a man still to come?” and the Lord said, “Behold, he has hidden himself among the baggage” (1 Samuel 10:22).

In 1 Samuel 10, we read the account of how the first king of Israel responded when the moment came for him to step into his role. Saul was chosen by God and anointed as king privately, but when it was time for him to publicly appear before the people, he hid. 

Like Saul, we’ve all been guilty of hiding among the baggage when called to step out of our comfort zones. Unfortunately, when we hide behind the baggage of fear, insecurity, apathy, or even busyness, we hinder our God-given assignments. Worse than that, this type of hiding doesn’t honor God but instead reveals a lack of faith. 

As Christians who’ve been chosen by God and anointed by His Holy Spirit, we don’t have to hide because we are already covered. Colossians 3:3 tells us our life is hidden with Christ in God. Because of Jesus, we are covered in forgiveness, love, protection, and victory. The only safe and acceptable hiding place is God Himself. He is our refuge, strength, strong tower, and shield who hides us in the shadow of His wings. When covered by Him, we can boldly say: “The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:6). 

With confidence in the adequacy and strength of Jesus, we can hand our baggage over to Him, not hide in it! Let the One who is strong enough to carry it…carry it for you.

PRAY:
Dear Jesus, Thank you for covering us with Your forgiveness, love, and protection. Knowing that You are our hiding place, we can boldly trust and obey all that You have called us to do. We have nothing to fear because we belong to You. 

REFLECT:
“Expect great things from God, attempt great things for God.” – William Carey

Scriptures: Hosea 6:3, Hebrews 11:1, Psalms 30:5, Revelation 22:12, 1 John 1:5

As Certain as the Dawn 

We’ve all experienced those never-ending nights when sleep eludes us. In our tired state, the darkness seems to intensify problems and make even the smallest issues urgent matters. What didn’t bother us in the light now consumes us in the dark. A racing mind doesn’t invite slumber and instead of sleeping, we find ourselves waiting for rest to arrive and/or waiting for the night to end. In these dark hours, I’ve been guilty of worrying about a lot of things; but never once have I worried that the sun wouldn’t rise; even the darkest night must give way to the day. 

As our current culture continues to disregard God’s laws and walks further away from Him, the darker our world becomes. As Christians, we aren’t exempt from worry if we forget in the dark what we learned in the light. Now more than ever, we must trust in Jesus and press on to know Him more through prayer and spending time in the Bible. As we take hold of God’s promises, we can claim His supernatural peace. When our spiritual eyes are opened, the darkness must bow to the light which enables us to rest with confidence that the “night” will end. Hebrews 11:1 assures us that our faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. The world may be dark, but when we see through the eyes of faith, we can rejoice in hope instead of being held captive by fear. 

God, in His goodness, reminds us every morning that the sun is victorious over darkness. As we actively wait for the glorious return of Jesus, may our hearts find rest because soon the Son will return to chase the darkness away forevermore.

PRAY:
Dear Lord, We are so thankful that You are the light of the world that has overcome the darkness. As Your children, help us to reflect You well by shining brightly as we wait for Your return. 

REFLECT:
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” – Martin Luther King