03/21/2008
6Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
I’m reminded of the fellow who was deeply in debt, so he hired an accountant. A friend asked him how much he was paying the accountant. The fellow replied: “$500,000 a year.” In shock the friend asked: “How can you afford that? You don’t make that much!” To which the fellow replied: “He’s the accountant, that’s HIS problem.”
It is easy these days to get caught up in all our activity. We become so busy that we find ourselves juggling tasks just to keep up. This can easily lead to anxiety. “Will this be done on time; will I have time to get gas before I pick up the kids; what can I make for dinner and still be at the PTA meeting on time.” The nature of our culture keeps us busy and trying to keep up with all these things can be a mental challenge.
Add to this the natural events of our lives: illness, accidents, loss of a loved one. When these things happen, they certainly upset the precarious balance of all the things we attempt to do. We find ourselves out of control and struggling to maintain any sense of order.
It is precisely at these times that we need to remember the verses above. God never promised to make our problems go away, but what He does promise is something even more extraordinary: Peace that surpasses all comprehension.
What exactly does this mean?
It means that even though things are falling apart around you, you are not consumed with worry or anxiety. Rather, you continue to move forward with a sound presence-of-mind, knowing that no matter what happens, God will be with you.
When we come to understand that this life is not all there is, then we become able to let a few things go. So what if things go wrong? How you conduct yourself in the situation is far more important than what you accomplish. People around you will look on your circumstances and wonder “how can you be so calm when everything is falling apart?” And when your only explanation is that God is by your side, they will find it hard to believe.
You can be sure that things will go wrong in your life. There will always be events that were unplanned. You must not let your circumstances rule you. Although they may present situations you are forced to deal with, your circumstances cannot dictate your response. Take your problems to God. Make your needs and requests known to Him. We can’t always make our problems go away, but we can let our worries go.
Jeff Justus
Cleff Publishing
www.cleffpublishing.com
©2008 Cleff Publishing, all rights reserved.
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