I don't have anything to wear...What am I going to cook for dinner; my refrigerator is empty...What am I going to use for transportation if I don't have a car?...My husband left me; how am I going to raise these children all by myself?...My bill is due on the 1st of the month but I don't get paid 'till the 15th...I am so stressed on my job; I can't take it anymore; I don't know what to do...
These are some of many concerns people face everyday of their lives. We face a crisis and the first thing we do is panic. We ask "What am I going to do?" Instead of asking what am I going to do, the question we should be asking is "Lord, what are You going to do?
I Peter 5:7 says "Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you." The Lord is saying give me your problems and I'll take care of them for you. He loves us just that much. When you become a child of God, your battles are no longer yours but God's.
"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)
Go to the alter or just get on your knees and tell Jesus about what you feel is burdening you and leave all of your problems there, walking away in faith knowing that the Lord is going to take care of it for you. The verse above is saying that with all your problems, concerns and worries, to take it to the Lord with prayer and supplication. Supplication means to make a humble request or to ask for something humbly. The Lord is the only one who can judge our hearts. That means He knows when we are praying sincerely and when we are just trying to use Him to get something we want. But when you're living a righteous life and you're praying a sincere prayer, expect your prayer to be answered by the time you get off of your knees. When you get up, expect to feel a peace that surpasses all understanding and your focus will no longer be on the problem you went down on your knees for, but it'll be on how you can give Him (Jesus) the praise. You'll get up with the assurance knowing that "My God has got it all under control." It's then considered to be in God's hands.
"Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek: ) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6:31-33)
When problems arise, be confident knowing that the Lord is on your side. Look back on a situtation you had to face in the past that the Lord helped you through. Say to yourself, "Jesus brought me through that, I know he can bring me through this." One thing about Jesus is that he never quits and he never gives up; He'll never turn His back on His sheep. He's already laid down His life for us at Calvary. What more does the Lord have to do to prove that He loves us (with unconditional love) and there is nothing in this world that he wouldn't do for us if we just learn to come to Him. What you need the Lord to do for you, He's already done for someone else. Anything you need, the Lord Jesus Christ is willing and able ... but He's waiting on you. Surrender your all to Him...and watch the results.
Keep in mind that the Lord knows what problems we're going to face before they come. Every test and trial we face is just that....a test and trial. It's a testing of our faith in Jesus. We can talk a lot of talk about how we love and trust in the Lord but when problems arise that's when the real talking is done (through our actions). Without a test, we cannot have a TESTimony. Keep that in mind. Every persecution we face is for our good whether we believe it to be so or not. That is the way the Lord makes us. He's only making you into what He has called you to be. You can't be a conqueror without first having something to conquer. You can't help someone who's going through something if you've never been through anything.
All want to go to Heaven, but does anyone want to go through persecution for the Lord? If anyone is expecting to enter Heaven without being tried and tested, please think again. II Timothy 3:12 says "all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." But if we live a holy and righteous life, we can have that confidence in knowing that we can take it to the Lord in prayer and supplication and he will guide us step-by-step through that valley and lead us straight into victory.
"Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God." (Psalm 43:5)
