We make plans. We plan for the day ahead, the week ahead, and the years ahead. We plot the details of our plans carefully, so if the plan doesn’t develop the way we’ve designed, it can cause us a great deal of stress. All plans are subject to change, and Scripture reminds us the Lord guides us in those moments of change.
Proverbs remarks, “Don’t lean on your own understanding, but trust in the Lord and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us the Lord knows the plans he has for us. They are plans for good, not evil; plans to help us, and not harm us.
So, when our plans have to change, remember, the Lord is in control. He has our future mapped out, so why wouldn’t he care for us in the present.
“My enemies did their best to kill me, but the Lord rescued me. The Lord is my strength and my song; he has given me victory” (Psalm 118:13-14).
These words of the Psalmist can bring great encouragement to you and I. They were written at a time of high stress and tension.
During this time, the Jewish people were struggling to rebuild their community and their temple in Jerusalem, and they faced opposition and persecution from their neighboring nations. Despite these challenges, the psalmist expresses confidence and trust in God’s protection and salvation, and celebrates God’s steadfast love and faithfulness.
Perhaps today is a time of high stress and tension for you. Look again at these words of the Psalmist. The Lord is his strength. The Lord has given him victory. Though we are surrounded by stress and tension, we can be assured the Lord is bringing about a victory.
If you’re struggling today, cling to this promise. The Lord is your strength and your song; he will give you victory.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).
This is an awesome piece of advice we can apply today. No matter what’s going on, we can exchange stress and anxiety for peace. Notice a couple words.
Anything
Merriam-Webster defines the word as “a thing, no matter what that thing may be.”
Every
Merriam-Webster defines the word as “all members of a group or set.”
There are no restrictions. No problem or situation is too big or too small. Whatever is going on, Scripture says we can pray about it, and the Lord will give us peace.
So, as you face the stressers and anxious moments of today, remember to pray. And, God’s peace will come.
As you begin today, you may have a lot of anxiety. It may be caused by stress at work or in your personal relationships. Perhaps money is tight this week as you push through to pay day. I don’t know the cause of your anxiety, but I know Scripture makes a terrific promise to us.
1 Peter 5:7 says, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”
Think about this invitation for a moment. Cast – THROW – your anxieties on the Lord because he cares for you. The stress we’re feeling today can be thrown on the Lord. He will help us carry the load and get through the day.
As anxiety builds today, remember, you can throw it on the Lord, and he will help you carry it.
Struggling today? It is Monday, so that means we’re back to work or school. The enjoyment and relaxation of the weekend is gone, so you may be feeling a little negative or down today. You’re not alone. These are shared feelings by many, and there is advice in Scripture that can help us today.
Colossians 3:2 says, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”
As you’re remembering it is Monday, counterbalance the weight of the negative thoughts with the joy of promises found in Scripture.
Your to-do list is long, but the Lord is always with you (Hebrews 13:5).
You have to untangle a tricky problem with a client at work, but the Lord is your helper (Psalm 121).
You’re anxious about that doctor’s appointment this week, but the Lord can give you peace (Philippians 4:7).
Yes, it is Monday, but equalizing our thoughts may help the day go a little better.
I was standing at the kitchen sink. The sun was coming in the window as it was a sunny, but windy day. I could hear the wind blowing and for just a second, the noise level increased. Thinking it was just a gust of wind, I went on washing dishes. Then from the next room comes, “The tree fell!”
A seemingly nice evergreen tree in our neighbor’s yard had been toppled by the wind. The tree’s root system was weak, so it couldn’t handle the force of the winds.
Paul writes in Colossians 2:6-7, “And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him and let your lives be built on him, then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught and you will overflow with thankfulness.”
How is your faith’s root system? As a deeply rooted tree is less likely to be toppled by the winds, a deeply rooted faith in the truth of God’s Word is less likely to be toppled by the winds of life. Scripture encourages Christians to fertilize our faith’s root system by spending time in God’s Word and in prayer, and by overflowing with thankfulness.
When we realize how we have been blessed and the source of our blessings, the resulting response should be giving thanks. We are encouraged in Colossians to continually and habitually offer thanksgiving. We know the winds of life will blow, but a firmly rooted faith can help us stand tall. Even amid a storm in life, Christians have reasons to be thankful. There’s always a reason to give thanks.
In a Peanuts cartoon, Charlie Brown feeds Snoopy on Thanksgiving Day. He gives the pooch his usual dog food. Snoopy looks at it and says, “Dog food again. That’s all I ever get is dog food. Everyone else is having all kinds of food today, but I just have my dog food. Oh well, at least I’m not the turkey.” There’s always a reason to be thankful.
Thankfully, the tree that fell did so in an almost perfect way. Across our neighbor’s yard into our yard. The only thing the tree hit was an old, ugly bush at the corner of our yard. We wanted the bush removed and the tree knocked it over, so mark that off the to-do list. There’s always a reason to be thankful.
Challenge yourself to spend time fertilizing your faith’s root system.
There are a lot of things that can entangle our minds. The stack of bills on our desk, the never-ending to-do list, and today’s headlines are enough to make us want to hide. Keeping our focus on everything around us creates much stress and anxiety in our lives; however, the Bible suggests we place our focus elsewhere.
Hebrews 12:2 encourages more focus to be placed on our faith and less on the world. “We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.”
Focusing on Jesus in today’s world can certainly be challenging, so here are a few tips to help adjust focus today.
Start the day by spending time with the Lord. Spend some time reading Scripture and praying. This will help start the day in the right way.
Follow the advice of Philippians 4. Think about whatever is pure, admirable, lovely, and excellent. All these adjectives point to Jesus.
Try equalizing the time spent on today’s worries with time thinking about the promises of the Lord. Equalize the worry about finances with a reminder of the Lord’s promise to provide.
Remember to focus on the Lord today as so much tries to grab your attention.
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Perhaps it seems odd, but we share some thoughts with ancient Israel. The Israelites found themselves in captivity, and they were wondering if God had totally left them. Feelings of loneliness and thoughts of abandonment were prevalent. Where was God? Why was he not answering?
We may find ourselves asking these same questions as we look at our circumstances. The political landscape is stressful. There are marriages on the brink of disaster. Finances are operating paycheck to paycheck, trying to stretch every penny farther than it was designed to go. The pressures of life are heavy, and as we start to buckle under the weight, we relate to the Israelites. Where is God? Why is he not answering?
Thankfully, the Lord sent Isaiah to offer encouragement to Israel, and we too can find encouragement in his words. In Isaiah 40, the prophet offers 3 keys to remember amid hard times.
First, the Lord is all-powerful.
Isaiah asks in verse 28, “Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding.”
It’s as if Isaiah is saying, “Don’t forget…”
“Don’t forget the Lord is everlasting.”
Psalm 90 proclaims, “Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from beginning to end, you are God.” There’s never been a time without the Lord, nor will there ever be a time without the Lord. Don’t forget the Lord is everlasting.
“Don’t forget the Lord is the creator.”
Genesis 1:1 reminds us God created the Heavens and the Earth. He was there before anything existed, and he is the one who spoke everything into existence. Remember, God is the creator.
“Don’t forget the Lord never loses strength.”
Jeremiah reminds us the Lord’s strength is always there. In chapter 32, he says, “O Sovereign Lord! You made the heavens and earth by your strong hand and powerful arm. Nothing is too hard for you!” Nothing is too hard for God. There are things that are too hard for us, but not for him; he carries the heaviest of loads with ease. The pressures of life which cause us to buckle, don’t even cause him to flinch. Jesus says what is impossible for man is possible for God; his word never fails. Keep in mind God does not lose his strength.
“Don’t forget his wisdom is immeasurable.”
“Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways,” states Romans 11. Don’t forget there is no end to the Lord’s wisdom.
Remember, God is all-powerful. It may seem are struggles hold all the power, but God holds more. Amid a difficult season, Isaiah reminds us of God’s power.
Second, the Lord desires to help us.
Isaiah says the Lord wants to help us. In verse 29, Isaiah exalts the Lord by saying he gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. The Lord is willing and able to help us.
Third, the Lord will get us through.
It is in our weakest moments it seems the Lord does his best work. He sure did for Israel. The Lord delivered the Israelites from captivity, and he rebuilt their nation. They were wondering where God was; why he wasn’t answering, but he pulled them through the hard time.
As we are wondering where God is; why he is not answering, we need to remember the encouragement of verses 30-31:
Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.
Amid the hard times in life, we need to remember to trust in the Lord. He will pull us through. The stresses and pressures of life are no match for the Lord. His strength will get us through.
The next time you find yourself buckling under the pressure of a hard time, remember, Isaiah’s 3 keys:
The Lord is all-powerful, and can handle anything that may come.
“He looked around the carpentry shop. He stood for a moment in the refuge of the little room that housed so many sweet memories. He balanced the hammer in his hand. He ran his fingers across the sharp teeth of the saw. He stroked the smoothly worn wood of the sawhorse. He had come to say goodbye. It was time for him to leave. He had heard something that made him know it was time for him to go, so he came one last time to smell the sawdust and lumber. Life was peaceful here. Life was so safe,” Max Lucado writes.
Raise your hand if you like pain. I’m assuming you do not have your hand up. I don’t know anyone who likes pain; however, pain is sometimes a part of life. The safety of jobs, good health, stability, and control can be painfully ripped from our grip. We desperately cling to them, but eventually, our fingers become so sore we have to let go. Pain enters and we are not sure what to do.
Jesus too faced pain. He understands what it is like to be bullied and hated. He understands what it is like to endure physical stress. Jesus helps us see how to handle pain.
Look past today’s pain to tomorrow.
Jesus left the safety of the carpentry shop to walk a path leading to a Roman cross. Jesus knew the agony and pain of the cross would lead to a better tomorrow. He knew closing the door of the carpenter’s workshop would lead to death, but he also knew closing the door would lead to a better day. A day when he would be able to help you and me out of our pain. Jesus looked past today’s pain to tomorrow.
In the midst of our pain, we do not fully know what tomorrow will bring. All we know is the Bible promises the pain will eventually give way to a better day. Try to look past today’s pain to a hope of a better tomorrow. Tomorrow will be better.
Rely on the Lord
As we look to a better tomorrow, Scripture encourages us to rely on the Lord.
The Psalmist proclaims, “The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?”
Hebrews 13:6 says, “So we can say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?”
As you may be facing painful circumstances, remember, Jesus understands what it is like. He encourages you to look past the pain of today to tomorrow and to rely on him.
Good cooks, which does not describe me, know a pressure cooker can be a useful tool. It can turn the toughest cut of meat into a tender dish. The heat and pressure help cook the dish perfectly. You need just the right amount of pressure though, or you end up with ketchup on your kitchen ceiling. Pressure cookers are useful as they reduce cooking time, and a well-versed chef can use the tool to create delicious food.
Life can be described as a pressure cooker. Each day is filled with stresses which cause our anxiety levels to rise. The decisions we are forced to make can be overwhelming. We have more bills than income, deciding how to keep our families safe amid a pandemic, and juggling our home being the center for work, school, and everything else. The pressures of life can certainly come from all directions.
The pressures of life may cause us anxiety, but we are not alone. Others have had the same experience including the writer of Psalm 119. In verse 139, the writer states he is overwhelmed with indignation. He feels insignificant. Perhaps nothing is working out in the way he planned. Pressure is increasing, yet the Lord is still there.
Psalm 119:143-144 says, as pressure and stress bear down on me, I find joy in your commands. Your laws are always right. Help me to understand them so I may live.”
Though he was in the pressure cooker of life, the Psalmist kept his focus on the Lord. The challenge for us is to follow the Psalmist’s pattern.
Amid stress and anxiety, remember…
The Lord is with us.
The Lord is trustworthy.
Jesus asks us to trust him. He says, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me” (John 14:1).
The Lord sees the big picture and is a master chef at using life’s pressure cooker. He knows when to release the pressure so the ketchup doesn’t end up on the ceiling.
Christ has promised he will come and take us where he is.
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