Worry

(This is a note i wrote on facebook in November. I hope it is encouraging to some one!)

So a lot of my friends have been telling me all these different things going on in their life right now. Things about job hunting and stress, lack of money and a need for God's direction in their life. A lot of my friends are pretty worried lately and have a lot on their mind. And you know what, a few days ago I was right along with them. If I rewind to a few days ago, all I can remember is being really stressed and feeling like a chicken with my head cut off. I was running around being pulled in a million directions trying to get way too much accomplished. I mean, all the things I was doing were all good things that would glorify God, but were all of these things really what God wanted for me or what I wanted for myself to give to God? All I can say is I was incredibly stressed and the fact that for the last few weeks in October I had no money, and the first week in November I lost the card which is attached to all my money, all just added more to my stress. I pretty much had no food in my house and I had no way of buying any, and I had loads of work to do which were physically impossible to finish. I wasn't getting sleep and I wasn't taking care of myself and finally not only had my body had enough, my heart had enough too. I was feeling overwhelmed and I was certainly being attacked by the enemy. Worse of all, I didn't want to admit it to any one. If I had too much on my plate and had to take some off, all I would here from friends and family is I told you so. But finally, I remembered, who cares what others think, what does God think? I turned to Him and with some advice from people that I respect, I decided to drop a class that I was taking for fun. In dropping it I was able to free up time to become more productive in my other classes, more productive in my ministry, and finally i was going to have more time to spend with God. I was still worried about the money situation and all but at least I wasn't feeling so stressed anymore. I finally had a good amount of time I could spend with God and that is when I sat down and I came to what I am about to share with you....

In Matthew chapter 6 it says the following...25"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 important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look 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? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[b]? 28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If 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, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

I LOVE these passages. How easy it i to get caught up in the worries of everyday things. It is so easy to start worrying about the future even. It is good to plan and think ahead but that doesn't mean we should worry and fret about it. God has much bigger and far greater plans for us than we could ever imagine. Instead of worrying we just need to trust in Him. If He will take care of a tiny little bird, then don't you think He will also take care of us? He will provide and take care of you in ways you never even think to imagine. He has been providing for me in such random ways. Simple little things like some one buying me a drink or a meal. Most of those people who did that didn't even know I had no money currently. It was crazy. That and conveniently I had all these events to go to that provided food when i had none. But God knew that way before I did. It was cool how everything worked out. God spoke to me in these words in the Bible. He reminded me that I do not need to worry about how things will work out and what will happen and what people will think. Instead I just need to focus on Him. He is with me.

I love this verse I ran into the other day in Isaiah 41:13 that says... For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.

I love that verse! When i read it I get this picture in my head of a little girl walking with her Daddy on a beach. She is looking up at him and He is looking down to her while holding her little hand. I know for me, when I was younger I used to always hold on to some one's arm. Specially if I was outside. It made my mother nervous because she thought that when I got older I would not be able to go places by myself. It wasn't that I needed to hold on to some one's arm in order to walk outside. It was simply that if i held on to some one Else's arm then I knew i did not have to worry about running into things and I would not have to worry about paying attention to things. I could focus on that person and our conversation or I could simply just walk along with out having to worry. This hit me. I can certainly try and live life without holding on to God's hand. A lot of times I unintentionally think that I do not need to hold His hand. But I do. See, when I am holding on to His hand, I can focus on His conversation, or I can simply walk along without having to worry. The key to not worrying isn't to just say to yourself "well..i know God is in control so I shouldn't worry." The key to not worrying is giving your heavenly father your hand and saying "take my hand Abba(daddy) and let's go for a walk." Trust Him and let Him lead you. Listen to what he has to say and talk to Him and just keep walking along knowing that He can take care of all the little details. God is SO much bigger than we are. He can take care of everything for us. If he cares and provides for the little sparrow...how much more He will care and provide for YOU!