How to be Worry-Free

I know it doesn’t change a situation. It can even create some pretty serious problems. I’m talking about worrying. I don’t have to take a class to be an accomplished worrier – it’s something that comes naturally. The enemy knows exactly what buttons to push to send me off into ‘what-if’ mode.

Seems I’m not the only one with the propensity to worry. The children of Israel could worry with the best of them. Remember their exit out of Egypt? The final plague had Pharaoh practically begging the Israelites to leave his land. They were free at last – 430 long years of slavery had come to an end.

I can imagine how ecstatic the people must have been. But their joy didn’t last long. In fact, it ground to a halt and quickly turned into worry when the Israelites realized Pharaoh and his army were in hot pursuit of them. They were afraid. They cried out to the Lord and turned on Moses, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness…it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness,” (Exodus 14:11,12b; KJV).

But Moses shared a message from the Lord – a message of faith that could overcome even the greatest fear. “And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace,” (Exodus 14: 13-14).

The people had a choice to make. Would they choose fear or faith? The Lord was on their side, and as Moses stretched his hand out over the Red Sea, the children of Israel witnessed a miracle. An east wind caused the waters of the sea to be parted so they could walk through on dry ground!

As Pharaoh and his army attempted to follow them into the sea, God caused their chariots to get stuck in the sand. Mass chaos followed as Moses once again stretched his hand out over the Red Sea and the water came crashing down over the Israelites’ enemies. Not a single one remained.

Giving in to fear hadn’t changed their situation. Putting their faith in an almighty God had! Over and over again, the children of Israel were reminded that worrying didn’t accomplish anything. Their God would provide for them.

The same is true in my life. Why worry when I have God’s recipe for peace, “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus,” (Philippians 4:6-7). Instead of focusing on my problems, I can focus on my great God who is able to overcome any hardship I’m facing.

What about you? Are you a worrier? What step will you take today to replace your fear with faith in a great God?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, Thank You for reminding me that worrying is sin. Help me remember the example of the children of Israel – and choose faith over fear. Thank You for being greater than any problem I face. In Jesus’ name, Amen.   

Doubting Castle

Thoughts raced through my mind. I felt like I was being punished. Why had the Lord allowed me to get in an accident? At first, I was convinced that I'd be fine if the physical pain subsided. But long after my back healed from the soft tissue damage I'd experienced, I was plagued by anxiety. Irrational fears haunted my days and I was unable to sleep at night. What was happening to me? Never before had I encountered such a fierce mental struggle.

Unwittingly, I had uncovered a stronghold in my thought process. If something bad happened, it meant that God didn't love me. I had given the enemy a foothold in my life. Peter shares an excellent description of the enemy, in addition to some good advice, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Peter 5:8; KJV).

I was familiar with the words penned by the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 10:4-5, "(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds); Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ," (emphasis mine). According to these verses, the battle was taking place in my mind. The most effective way to influence my actions was to influence my thinking. The enemy was well aware of this and bombarded me with lies, hoping that I wouldn't be able to distinguish a lie from the truth.

Throughout my struggle, God's word assured me that I was not alone. He walked beside me each step of the way, no matter how I felt. The Lord even provided armor for me that would protect me from my enemy. I didn't have to develop a strategy or plot a sneak attack, God's word promised me that all I had to do was stand: "Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand" (Ephesians 6:13). If I would wield the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God and lift up the shield of faith which is "able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked," the Lord promised to help me overcome (Ephesians 6:16).

Doctors and counselors played a role in my healing process. Ultimately, it was the word of God that restored my hope and joy. Once I was able to identify my stronghold and recognize the lie I was believing, I was able to replace the lie with God's truth. I was reminded of God's love for me in the book of Romans, "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (5:8). When I chose to believe that God truly loved me and began living like the person of value He created me to be, the chains that imprisoned me were loosed and I could walk away from my stronghold.

Once I was set free, I had a choice to make: would I continue to walk in the truth, or when difficulty struck, would I revert back to a lie? In Galatians 5:1 I'm encouraged to, "Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." God's plan is for me to live in the liberty of Christ - secure in His love. Trusting that the things He allows to come into my life are ultimately for my good and His glory.

Are you wrestling with a stronghold? Replace any lies you've believed with the truth of God's word. Use your newly found 'key' of truth to open the gates of 'Doubting Castle.' Take a step of faith today and return to the Master's path for your life!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, Thank you for your Word. I know that it is powerful. Today I'm choosing to believe the words of 2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Help me walk in faith. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Trials Have Purpose

The land lay before them. The promised land. After years spent in the wilderness, their dream was about to come true. I can imagine the Israelites counting down the days until the spies would return with news about the land that would become their territory.

The day finally arrived. Everyone assembled to hear the report. Children jostled about, in an attempt to see what the twelve men had brought back from Canaan. A hush fell over the crowd. Mouths gaped open in amazement. Before them hung the largest cluster of grapes they had ever seen! So large, that the grapes required two men to carry them on a large pole (Numbers 13:23). An abundance of pomegranates and figs lay before them - fruit from the land the Lord intended for them to inherit. What a promising future lay ahead!

The spies spoke of the land they had explored over the past forty days, "...We came unto the land whither thou sentest, us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it," (Numbers 13:27; KJV). The land sounded too good to be true. But as the report continued, the tone changed from positive to negative. "Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there," (Numbers 13:28).

By the end of the report, only two of the twelve spies maintained a positive outlook on taking over the promised land. Joshua and Caleb. These two had faith that the Lord, who had brought the children of Israel this far, could also deliver the promised land to them, despite the obstacles.

The crowd chose the majority opinion. They refused to exercise faith in the God who had delivered them from their oppressors in Egypt, provided food and water for them in the wilderness, and been their constant guide from the beginning of their journey. Instead, they chose to believe the situation was hopeless and began making plans to elect a captain to lead them back to Egypt.

Imagine journeying to the border of the promised land, only to stop trusting the One who had brought you every step of the way. Inconceivable, right? Yet, if I'm honest, I have to admit that I've done the very same thing.

When I'm faced with a trial in my life, I have the opportunity to trust God to walk me through the difficulties. But instead, I grow fearful, and choose to believe that God doesn't have my best interests at heart. I begin thinking about how good things have been. And question God as to why this trial had to come my way. I lose sight of my great God and begin having a pity party in honor of myself.

The words of the book of James point me back to the truth, "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing," (James 1:2-4). Although I can't say that trials are pleasant, each and every one is allowed in my life to draw me closer to my Heavenly Father. It's up to me to allow each trial to become a blessing as I'm conformed to the image of Christ!

How do you face trials? Is your faith growing with each difficulty that comes your way?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for the trials You allow in my life. Help me choose to believe that Your plan for me is good, and to act in faith when difficulties tempt me to doubt. Help me to be conformed to the image of Your Son. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Hope: An Anchor

Life is hard. From health problems and relationship issues, to the devastation of earthquakes and tsunamis - the cares of life can seem overwhelming. This past week has been surreal. Matters of deep concern for friends and family have been the topic of many phone conversations and text messages. Only days later, news programs relayed mind-numbing reports that continue to be difficult to grasp. Fear and hopelessness appear poised to take over.

Fear is a crippling enemy, with the ability to rob me of peace. When my mind begins playing the 'what if' game, fear gets in on the action, reminding me that I'm not in control. I can't change circumstances and I can't make decisions for others...soon hopelessness joins the game, unbidden. Fear and hopelessness link arms and if given a foothold, can wreck havoc with my mind. Yet, even in the presence of these foes, there IS hope.

Take a look at the life of Job. Listen in on a conversation between the Lord and Satan. "And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?" (Job 1:8; KJV). Job was a good guy. Satan claimed Job was only loyal to God because God had blessed him. Satan asked for permission to destroy all that Job had, reasoning that Job would curse God as a result.

In a matter of 24 hours, Job lost all of his children and all of his oxen, sheep, and camels, in addition to most of his servants. Look at Job's response, "Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly," (Job 1:20-22). Amazing!

Satan was permitted to go one step further and afflict Job's health. Job's wife doubted God's goodness and advised him to curse God and die. "But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips," (Job 2:10).

Job wasn't superhuman. Throughout this forty-two chapter book we see Job falsely accused by his friends, and we witness his hope waxing and waning. Before Job sinks into despair, the Lord appears to Job. He doesn't offer answers to the many questions that have tormented Job. Instead, He poses a series of questions to him. Questions that no human being could answer. The point? God's thoughts and ways are infinitely higher than ours (Isaiah 55:9). Even during difficult times, when nothing makes sense, He is still God, and He is still in control.

Following personal tragedy, Job was able to cling to his hope in God and go on. And God blessed Job abundantly, "So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses. He had also seven sons and three daughters...After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons' sons, even four generations." (Job 42:12-13, 16)

Are you experiencing difficulties? Feeling fearful or hopeless? Anchor yourself to the Lord and allow Him to restore your hope!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, Thank You for being a just, holy, merciful God. I don't always understand why things happen, but it's comforting to know that You are still in control. Comfort all those who are hurting. Forgive me when I give in to fear and hopelessness. Help me to remember Your Word: "Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost," (Romans 15:13). I praise You today for who You are. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Overcoming Fear with Faith

Several hundred feet above the desert floor, the aerial tram crawls up the face of Mt. San Jacinto. A true engineering marvel, the tramway has been dubbed the eighth wonder of the world.

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not fond of heights. In fact, to be totally honest, I’m afraid of heights. As we prepared to board the tram car, it was comforting to know that “more than 12 million people have been safely transported by the Tramway into the majestic mountains overlooking the Coachella Valley since the attraction opened in September 1963.” (http://www.pstramway.com/)

Although the rotating tram car was a bit unnerving, I found that if I focused on a spot above the horizon, I could actually appreciate the eleven minute ride up to the top of the mountain. I can’t say I enjoyed it, but it wasn’t as nerve-wracking as I’d originally anticipated.

Once we arrived at the top of the mountain, the discomfort I had experienced as we traveled the 8500-feet was well worth it! The views were breath-taking. The temperatures a full forty degrees cooler than those we had left behind. It was as if we had been transported to a different part of the country. Where there had been sparse vegetation on the desert floor, different varieties of pines and flowering plants covered the ground as far as the eye could see. A true oasis.

Oftentimes the Savior desires for me to face my fears, the things I dread, in order for me to arrive at the ‘oasis’ He has for me. Much like the safety information printed about the tram cars helped to quell my initial fear, the Bible spells out countless reasons why I can put absolute faith in my God.

I think about the many heroes of the Old Testament, ordinary men and women who overcame fear with faith and did extraordinary things for God. Remember Joshua, the leader who had brought the children of Israel successfully into the promised land? After an unsuccessful attempt to overtake the city of Ai, the Lord appeared to him with the words, “Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land:” (Joshua 8:1; KJV). I imagine Joshua was more than a little afraid! Yet he trusted God, faced his fear, and was rewarded with a spectacular victory over the people of Ai.

Do you recall Gideon, the Israelite who hid by the winepress to thresh wheat, in order to keep it from the Midianites? The angel of the Lord appeared to him with the words, “The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour” (Judges 6:12) You might wonder what the Lord saw in a man who was hiding in fear from the enemy. The answer is one simple word, faith. Gideon believed the Lord when He said to him, “Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man” (Judges 6:16). Because he chose to overcome his fear and trust God, we see the mighty way God was able to use him, “Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more, And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon” (Judges 8:28).

What about Ruth, the Moabitess? After her husband died, she made the choice to return with her mother-in-law, Naomi, to the city of Bethlehem. This might seem like an insignificant decision, until you realize that the Moabites were hated by the Israelites. Don’t you suppose Ruth feared the possibility of rejection from Naomi’s people? Yet she saw something different in the God of Naomi and put her life into His hands. Because of her obedience, she ended up marrying a godly man named Boaz, and having a child who became the grand-father of King David!

Is fear holding you back? Take a fresh look at the many times God’s word challenges you to ‘fear not.’ He is a God who can be fully trusted! Talk to Him about your fear, lay it at His feet, and then choose faith in Him to transport you to the oasis He has for you!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I stand amazed at Your goodness. I praise You for the opportunity to overcome my fears through faith in You. Help me to remember that You will never leave me nor forsake me. I’m placing my trust in You. Use me today for Your honor and glory. Amen.

Overcoming Obstacles

At a loss. For words, that is. Ever been there? Some refer to it as 'writer's block.' I prefer to think of it as an obstacle in my path that may require some creativity to overcome, but something that can be tackled, nonetheless. Reminds me of the 'road closed' sign we saw the other day.

We were cutting it a bit close for our daughter, Riley's, senior piano recital. As we approached our destination, we saw it. The sign that stood like a sentinel warning us that exactly one and a half miles up the street, the road was closed to through traffic. We would only be allowed to pass through if we were residents along that stretch of the road, which obviously wasn't the case. How would we reach our destination? We weren't familiar with an alternate route. Fortunately for us, the construction was farther down the road than we needed to travel. We made our turn off the main road and arrived in plenty of time to enjoy Riley's performance. No obstacles.

Most of the time, obstacles prove themselves to be far more of a challenge. I'm thinking of two crafty cousins who love to sneak up on me when I least expect it. They enjoy nothing more than erecting blockades to prevent me from moving forward. Formal introductions aside, meet Fear and his relative, Discouragement. These two love nothing more than to play off one another's antics and cause havoc in my day. No matter the task for the day, when I begin acknowledging Fear's raspy whispers, doubts flow into my mind. Am I really up to the challenge of writing a devotional? There are so many talented writers out there, why would an agent choose to represent my work? I'm already behind on my work in progress, it's probably too late to make my deadline...You get the idea.

Depending on Fear's success, Discouragement wastes no time in adding his two cents worth. Regardless of his words, his objective is to deprive me of hope. Zap my confidence. These close cousins, working in tandem, create a pretty effective duo. But the blockades they erect can be tackled and overcome. God's word to the rescue!

I'm invited to believe the words of God penned by the apostle Paul , "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Philippians 4:13; KJV). I can choose to think on the truth and dismiss the lies. I'll never know if I'm able to write a devotional series unless I try. If it's the Lord's will, I'll find the right agent to represent my work, in God's timing. I can't let the failures of yesterday shape my today. Through Christ, I can choose the right attitude for each task He's called me to do.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for who You are. Help me to see obstacles from your perspective - as challenges that can help me grow in my walk with You. Allow me to feast on Your word today, so I can effectively combat the 'road blocks' I encounter. Thank You for the truth of Your word. Amen

What do you do when you encounter an 'obstacle' on your daily path? How does it affect your productivity for the day? How do you overcome the challenges you face? I'd love to hear from you!