Bountiful Blessings
March 24th, 2013
You know that feeling? The words, thoughts, pictures zooming
through your brain at such a rapid speed that they feel like ants crawling on
your skin? The sleepness nights where you lay there and can’t seem to shut
down? Where counting sheep turns into a to-do list? Where you are listening to
someone and all your hear is wah wah wah and wonder why don’t they shut up? You
have more important things to be thinking about. (Haha. Sounds mean, doesn’t
it? But c’mon admit it. You have done it.) Where your mind skips from one thing
to another with no distinct pattern? Feel like you are going crazy a little?
Yep. When you have something on your mind that causes you worry, it will
disrupt your whole life. Your work, your sleep, your relationships. You may
become tired, irritable. You may stress eat. You may snap at someone or just as
easily ignore them. You may have trouble focusing. Sigh. Sounds horrible,
doesn’t it? So why do we do it?
The Bible tells us that “worrying is bad”. (Haha. That was for
you, Summer) That may have simplified the issue but basically, God asks us to
trust him. To turn our troubles and our worries over to him. If we trust him
with our lives, what is there to worry about? Ugh, I struggle with this one ALL
THE TIME. (I guess the first paragraph gave you a clue. J) I consider myself giving it to God.
I pray for his will and give him my worries. Then I snatch them back. I don’t
even realize it until the stress and worry hits me like a baseball bat. What is your problem, Terri? Control
issues? Trust issues? My first instinct is to answer not at all. I trust the
Lord with my everything. Without trusting him, what kind of life do I have? He
created me. He has a plan for me. He knows my present and my future. He has
gone before me to create a eternal home for me. Trust? We are not talking about
giving your 16 year old the keys here. So… I don’t know why I have such a
problem with it. It is simply a fault of mine. I own up. My sin. My problem.
Solution? One day at a time. One step at a time. One worry at a time. I tell
you what I am NOT going to do – worry about it. J
So my friends, life is not without worries, stress, cares or
concerns. It is difficult at times. There will be situations, people, events
that will test us, test our faith and test our trust. Don’t follow my example.
Don’t clench that worry to your chest in that tight embrace. Release it. Give
it to the Lord. And then let it go. That is where I always mess up. Let it go.
Once you have given it to him, it’s his. He WILL take care of it. You no longer
have anything to worry about. God is
good.
Bible
verse for the week:
“Can any one of you by worrying add a single
hour to your life?” Matthew 6:34
Prayer for
the week:
Dear Lord,
I worry. I worry about family, friends, loved ones. I worry about
finances, work and even what is for dinner tonight. Why, O Lord? I know that
you will take care of me. I know that you will take care of my family. Worry
does nothing except exhibit a lack of trust. Silly. For I trust you with my
life. You are my everything. You gave me an earthly life and have promised me a
heavenly life. A life without worries, without cares, without stress, without
pain and without suffering. Lord, the Bible tells us to release our worries to
you. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by
prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Today I
present my request to you. I ask you to help me. I must get down on my knees
and lay my worries at your feet and then I must let it go. I ask this is your
name, Amen.
Bible fun
for the week:
Can you
identify in what book these Bible verses are located in the Bible? It’s a tough
one, isn’t it?
- Therefore do not worry about
tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough
trouble of its own.
- I can do all this through him who
gives me strength.
- Those who hope in the LORD will
renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run
and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
- “Therefore I tell you, do not
worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body,
what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than
clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store
away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much
more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour
to your life?
- But make up your mind not to
worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves.
- Cast your cares on the LORD and
he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.
- For the Spirit God gave us does
not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
- I keep my eyes always on the
LORD. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken..
- Truly he is my rock and my
salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
- Keep me as the apple of your eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings.
- He will cover you with his
feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will
be your shield and rampart.
- So do not fear, for I am with
you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help
you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
- “For I know the plans I have for
you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans
to give you hope and a future.”
- And we know that in all things
God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called
according to his purpose.
- The LORD is my strength and my
shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.
So, how did you
do? Knew one? Mmmmn, you may want to try picking it up a little more often. Two
to four? There are some great tricks for memorization. Five to ten? Im kind of
impressed. Really. Ten to fifteen? Who are you??!!
Have a wonderful
week! Know that I am ALWAYS thinking about you and praying for you. And last
thing…. Don’t worry, God is taking care of you (and me!)
Terri
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