Faith Wouldn't Be Faith If It Came Easy

Anxiety...restlessness...endless what ifs...questions wondering, "Will You come through Lord? Do You see our need? Do You really care?"

I'm convinced faith wouldn't be faith if it came easy. Satan constantly battles for our mind attempting to steal our peace. Sometimes I just want to say... "ENOUGH! STOP! GET OUT!"...only to realize my feet haven't even hit the floor yet.

C.S. Lewis wrote, "The moment you wake up each morning, all your wishes and hopes for the day rush at you like wild animals. And the first job each morning consists in shoving it all back; in listening to that other voice, taking that other point of view, letting that other, larger, stronger, quieter life come flowing in."

So what do we do with the endless worries and concerns of life?

Well, we can choose to contemplate every disastrous thought, giving in to coddling catastrophes, and entertaining every inevitable tragedy...

OR...

We can choose to relinquish our control and put our trust in God...Trusting His character, remembering His promises, holding fast to our confession of faith, putting our hope in WHO HE IS.

I'm determined to choose option two.

But, to truly trust God we must remember WHO WE SERVE and recall WHAT HE HAS SAID or we will inevitably regress to option one.

So...who is GOD and What has he promised in His word?

• Psalm 121:2-8 says, "My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip — he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD watches over you — the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm — he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore." (NIV)
• 2 Thessalonians 3:3-4, "the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one. (NIV)
• Psalm 145:13-14, "The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made. The LORD upholds all those who fall. (NIV)
• 1 Peter 5:7 encourages us to "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." (NIV)

So today, in complete abandon and faith, let us call upon our God...let us pray in the name which is above every other, trusting that He both hears and cares for us! SURELY WE WILL NOT BE PUT TO SHAME!

PRAYER:
Father, Your WORD promises us that You are faithful and will strengthen us and protect us from the evil one...(2 Thessalonians 3:3-4) that you are loving toward ALL YOU have made (Psalm 1145:13). You've encouraged us to cast our cares on You and promised that You will sustain us and will never let the righteous fall. (Psalm 55:22) You encouraged us to cast ALL our anxiety on You because You care for us (1 Peter 5:7)...So Lord...that's what we are doing.

Father we need you to intervene on our behalf. Bless us with Your presence. Defend us. Deliver us. Provide for us. Restore us. Strengthen us. Heal us. Empower us. WE NEED YOU! Grant us Your favor so that the work of the gospel may go forth unhindered. In Jesus name, amen.