Are you moving forward? Or, are you going backward? Are you improving your understanding and relationship with God? Or, are you regressing into worry, fear, and anxiety? Will you decide to move forward, trusting God with everything?
Despite what we often feel or may even hear from those around us, it is a conscious decision on our part to trust God. We are to wake each morning and decide to trust Him. We must make that decision each and every day. If we do not, we regress into our old ways.
When we don’t make a conscious decision to trust God each day, we leave ourselves open to be manipulated by outside influences that come our way. As Paul writes to the Ephesians, we are tossed about on the waves like a boat with no anchor nor motor (Ephesians 4:14). We allow others to cause uncertainty, which leads us down the dark path to fear and anxiety.
We are to have solid roots that are deep in the soil of Jesus Christ (Colossians 2:6-7). When we are rooted deeply in Him, we can withstand the storms, grow and flourish, and bare fruit to feed others. As we trust in God, we become the calm in the storm and shed His light for others to see and follow.
There is a lot of worry, fear, and anxiety in this world right now. People are concerned about the COVID-19 pandemic, the effect on their jobs, the amount of supplies available, and whether a family member will become sick. There is chaos throughout the world, whether it be physical chaos in the streets or mental chaos in people’s minds.
Our faith in God will provide us with the peace we need (John 14:27). As we experience His peace in us, we can remain calm and continue to move forward. If we are unsure, experiencing the fear and anxiety we see in others, we should pray. Our prayer cannot be a one-time prayer that only lasts a few seconds. We should pray multiple times per day and every day for several minutes. We should lay our worries, fears, and anxiety bare before God and trust Him to remove them from us. As we pray, we also need to remain patient. All things happen in God’s time.
I pray we all make time to pray throughout each day. I pray each of us will lay bare our concerns to God, laying them at the foot of the cross. I pray that each one of us will receive the peace of God that goes beyond understanding. I pray we all remain safe as we go through this pandemic. Pray often. Lay your concerns at God’s feet. Receive His peace. Trust God. Increase your faith.
2 Peter 3:8-9 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
Marty Pressey 