Using Worry as an Opportunity

In the midst of the legitimate concerns of life, we need not quiver with fear. God will sustain us by His power. When we feel vulnerable, we become distracted by our concerns. God can sustain us during those worrisome times, not by promising that nothing bad will happen, but by reminding us that we were made to trust Him above all else. In a broken world, we have no guarantees except that God can be trusted, and that He wants us to draw on the depths of His love and grace in every circumstance that He gives or allows. We too can use worry as an opportunity to say, “Therefore we will not fear” (Psalm 46:2).

~ from Overcoming Worry, by David Egner


I was greatly encouraged by reading a section from Overcoming Worry – Turning Fear into Faith last night. I felt very burdened at the time, and God prompted me to pick up this little booklet and to meditate on what it said.

The section that I read referred to Matthew 6:25-34, so I wanted to share that with you as well. Wow–did it ever challenge me to trust that God will take care of me, and that I do not need to worry!

“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?

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

So the next time we are tempted to worry, let’s use worry as an opportunity to trust that God is in control and that He has our best interests at heart! ❤

the-birds-of-the-air


Photo from: HD Nice Wallpapers / Edited by: Me 🙂

What I DO Know

Thoughts, racing.

Worries, spiraling freely.

Can’t seem to get myself under control.

I don’t know what’s going to happen.

Don’t know how things will turn out.

It’s hurting my heart,

And I don’t know how to make it stop.

I wish I could see the future–

To see if everything is going to be okay.

But I don’t have that luxury.

I don’t know what is going to happen;

I don’t know how things will turn out.

Is there anything that I DO know?!

I do know that God is with me.

I do know that He will be my guide.

He will lead me through this,

Through the twists and the turns…

He will be there.

I do know that I have a support system.

People who love me and who are praying.

I do know that I am not in this alone.

Father, be my Peace.

Be my Guide.

Be my Everything.

I can’t do this on my own.

YOU are the most important factor in this situation;

And I throw myself upon Your grace, upon Your mercy, and upon Your love.

I need You–and I am not ashamed.


Photo credit: Dustin Scarpitti

The Lord is My Shepherd

There are situations going on in my life right now that are showing me that I need to stop worrying about stupid little things. Like inconveniences, small botherances, minor irritations…what do they really amount to? What I truly need to do is focus my energy and attention on the things in life that matter.

I’m so thankful to God that I can trust Him. He is my Shepherd. Without Him, I don’t know what I would do. I’m just praying that He will take these situations and work in them for His glory and for our good.


Psalm 23 (NKJV)

The Lord the Shepherd of His People

A Psalm of David.

The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.


Photo Credit: Jonas Nilsson Lee