In this dark and fearful world it is so hard not to hyperventilate,
not to allow our mind to fry with evil possibilities happening to us or our
loved ones, and not to allow Satan to overwhelm us with his lies.
One way to escape the penchant we have as humans to think
of the worst case scenarios is to live in the moment. This keeps our heart and
mind free from worry for our safety and provision.
If we are fine in this one moment of time, we need not
worry about the next moment. If we are not fine, we can seek God's wisdom about
how to deal with the negative aspects of this one moment of time (James 1:5).
When we acknowledge God first, we abide in His peace as
He directs our steps (Proverbs 3:5-6). God promises that in this world we will
have tribulation; but we can face it with joy, because He already overcame the
world and He lives within us (John 16:33; 1 Peter 1:6).
This way Satan, the world and our human tendencies of the
flesh do not control our life through desires, insecurities, anxiety and
concerns; but we are submitted and totally surrendered to Christ in us.
As branches on the Vine, we receive the supply of all of
our needs, and we depend upon His strength to keep us stable and productive
during the storms of life (John 15:5).
As we keep our mind focused on Him, He floods each day
with His peace and joy, regardless of any turmoil or suffering we experience
(Isaiah 26:3). We know that everything He allows in our life is for our
ultimate good (Romans 8:28).
The fruit of God's Spirit, the very nature of God
Himself, branch out from us in all directions (Galatians 5:22-23). Our nurture
and provision come from God alone, regardless of our vocation or situation in
life (Roman 8:28).
Prayer:
Father God, we cast all of our cares onto Your strong
shoulders, because we know from experience that You care about us (1 Peter
5:7). Sometimes, circumstances make us feel that You do not care, or that You
abandoned us, but often we are causing our own grief by our choices.
We fail to
consult You or to walk in Your Spirit, and we reap the consequences of our
codependency and faulty thinking. Remind us to keep track of all the times You answered our
prayers. Rather than to take You and Your goodness for granted, we want to give
You continual praise for all that You do for us each day.
Help us not to get
distracted by our busy life and our failure to keep our focus on You, so that
we overlook the "hugs" You provide for us throughout the day.
Thought for the Day:
God's wisdom from above is unpolluted by the world,
agreeable, sympathetic, pleasant, full of compassion and fruitful, unbiased and
genuine. - James 3:17
