When you’ve been faced with walking through a difficult
situation for a prolonged period time and as you look forward you really see no
indication that it might soon change, it is easy to become discouraged.
Weariness and worry are things that God knows His people struggle with, and it
is something which He deals with in His Word. Isaiah reminds us of this. He
reminds us that our God, Himself, does not grow weary and tired, and that He is
able to give strength to us.
And Jesus, Himself, spoke to many of these areas in which we
are prone to worry, and His answer in all of them was again to recognize that
our God is both aware and able to handle those things which have caused us
concern. He reminds us that this is His character and we have no reason to
question it.
Matthew
6:25-34 “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about
your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your
body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the
body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor
reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are
you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single
hour to his life? And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the
lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you
that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so
clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is
thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of
little faith! Do not
worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will
we wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your
heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first
His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry
about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble
of its own.”
He tells us not to worry about tomorrow because each day
has enough trouble of its own, while at the same time, those things He spoke
about are the momentary ones in which we live and over which God is sovereign.
The birds live free in the moment dealing with those things of the moment. The
flowers and the grasses enjoy the richness of the sun and the fertility of the
ground in the moment. And Jesus, in sharing about these things, asks
rhetorically, won’t He do much more for us. Truly His exhortation to seek first
His kingdom and His righteousness is one that is intended to drive us to our
faithful God who will take care of all of the other stuff as we seek and follow
after Him.
James tells us in chapter one and verses two though four
that we are to, “Consider it
all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith
produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be
perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” As we are faced with a trial of any
form, by looking to our God and His faithfulness we can rest knowing that He is
100% in control, and then as we watch Him bring us through that particular
situation we grow in our endurance and in our practical knowledge of His
working and sustaining. Having grown in this we are then enabled to trust Him
more and more until we become mature as John wrote in 1 John 2:12-14,
“I am writing to
you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you for His name’s
sake. I
am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the
beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil
one. I have written to you, children, because you know the Father. I have written to
you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I have
written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides
in you, and you have overcome the evil one.”
In Hebrews we have an incredible encouragement about perseverance
and endurance as the writer points us to our Savior and Lord—Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 12:1-3 Therefore,
since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay
aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us
run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and
perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising
the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who
has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not
grow weary and lose heart.”
Philippians 4:6-7 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with
thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all
comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Today in “Jesus Calling” by Sarah Young (7/15)
Do not worry about tomorrow! This is not a suggestion, but a
command. I divided time into days and nights, so that you would have manageable
portions of life to handle. My grace is sufficient for you, but its sufficiency
if for only one day at a time. When you worry about the future, you heap day
upon day of troubles onto your flimsy frame. You stagger under this heavy load,
which I never intended you to carry.
Throw off this oppressive burden with one quick thrust of
trust. Anxious thoughts meander about and crisscross in your brain, but
trusting Me brings you directly into My Presence. As you thus affirm your
faith, shackles of worry fall off instantly. Enjoy My Presence continually by
trusting Me at all times.
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will
worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:34
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my
power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly
about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:9
Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your heart
before Him; God is a refuge for us. Psalm 62:8 (NKJV)
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