This is the second devotional for the week of January 29 to February 2.
This blog entry is
a devotional from Rick Warren, author of The Purpose Driven Life. He helps us avoid worry by reminding us that God will meet our needs. What do you
think? You can either click the link below and read it on his Daily Hope page through Crosswalk.com or read it below. You can answer the questions he has provided or just leave a comment.
https://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/daily-hope-with-rick-warren/
Only God Can Provide
By Rick Warren
“Since he did not spare even his own Son for us but gave him up for us all, won’t he also surely give us everything else?” (Romans 8:32 TLB).
The major cause of stress in your life is worry. You worry because you
wonder if you will have what you need when you need it. But anytime you
expect other people to meet your needs instead of God, you’re going to
be frustrated and disappointed, because nobody can meet all your needs.
Only God can do that.
If you want a cure for stress, you need to learn to look to God to meet your needs.
Some people find their security in their job, and when they lose their job, they lose their peace of mind.
Others put their security in their marriage. Then their spouse dies or they go through a divorce, and they ask, “Who am I? What is my identity?”
Or maybe they put their security in their money. There are a lot of ways to lose money.
I recommend that you never put your security in anything that can be
taken away from you. You can lose your job, your health, your
reputation, your spouse, and your mind. But you cannot lose your
relationship to Christ.
When you put your security in that promise, you can trust God to meet all your needs.
Romans 8:32
says, “Since he did not spare even his own Son for us but gave him up
for us all, won’t he also surely give us everything else?”(TLB).
If God loved you enough to send Jesus Christ to die on the cross, don’t
you think he loves you enough to take care of every other need in your
life? Yes! Of course he does.
Every time you start to get stressed out, pause and say, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want”(Psalm 23:1 ESV).
God’s going to provide. He’s going to take care of you. Instead of stressing out, look to him to meet all your needs.
PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>
Talk It Over
How do you normally react when you have a major need in your life?
What do you need in your life today? Do you trust God to provide for it?
What kinds of things do you think God wants to give you? What do you think he wants you to do with those things?
What a fabulous command to not put our trust into anything that we could lose. I need to trust God more in the lives of my children and to know that ultimately He is in control of their lives as well as mine. The twists and turns this year have really put worrying to the test. I do not tend to worry when there isnt anything to worry about, but the last few months have certainly added enough changes and health issues to "not worry" about. ugh!
ReplyDeleteThe Lord has provided time and time again in my life, and yet, I still find myself worrying about the tasks at hand or my children or any number of things in everyday life. It's as if I can hear Him saying to me, "Haven't I proven myself to you? Do I have to show you AGAIN that I will provide for your needs?" Sometimes my human nature can be so frustrating! I want to let God be in control, but then I find myself thinking I can do it better or just don't even give Him the chance to provide because I am too busy getting in the way.
ReplyDeleteThe things that I find myself needing today are rest and time, and yes, God will provide those things or opportunities for those things. Now it is up to me to take advantage of those opportunities and not squander them with busyness and silly tasks that can wait. Thank you for this gentle reminder of His care and love for me. It is something that I need to hear daily!
we intend to be worry wart some times. We try to control everything and worry about things we dont have. Only until recent years, i learned from the past not to worry, all your plans could be changed in last minuet due circumstances. We must have faith in God.
ReplyDeleteI like the song "Don't worry, be happy" however, it is a little too simplistic as if we can just by our own will create happiness. I wish I could say with absolute certainty when major problems, setbacks, disappointments, bad news etc. hit me that I simply throw up my hands and shout for joy but alas not always so. I was always struck by the fact that of witnessing people who should have every reason to be stressed and worried but have joy and contentment with very little material possessions. I have also witnessed people who are millionaires but terribly depressed, nervous, and insecure. This just shows that we need to cultivate a close relationship to Christ so that when trials appear, we are in the correct spirit and right frame of mind to bend on our knees and pray for deliverance.
ReplyDeleteOver work the story of our society. It's too bad that we all have decided to be work addicts. I was raised to be a work-a-holic. It is one of the addictions that our society praises even as it kills us. It was not until I had a serious physical illness that was brought on my stress and over work, that I was able to realize my work addiction. It's not something you get over once and for all, but a process. With God's help we can lead balanced lives, but it takes intention in our society.
ReplyDelete