16 May 2018
Don’t worry about tomorrow
It is very easy to count and focus only on our blessings, but God wants us to be focused on His heart and not only on His hand. When blessings or our suffering and pain become our focus – they become our idols. Anything that you love more than you love God, is an idol.
Anything that you hold onto and not surrender, becomes an idol.
I have seen many people whose pain became their idol. It is the only thing they can talk about – it consumes them. They don’t want to let go, and allow God to do whatever needs to be done, to bring healing. It is often in our seasons of trauma that the darkness inside of us comes to the surface. It normally hides deep inside of our spirit heart. It makes me think of the wise man that said, if you squeeze a lemon, you get lemon juice. In the same way, if you squeeze an orange you get orange juice, but what do you get if you squeeze a Christian?
The Word of God says in Mat 12:34b For out of the fullness (the overflow, the superabundance) of the heart, the mouth speaks.
I know this to be true from my own life experiences. There was a time, that the pain was so overwhelming that it ruled my life, overshadowing everything else. Out of pain, I became self-absorbed and self-centered. I had to repent and lay down my life in order to be healed. I had to learn to trust God, completely. All through the grace of God.
God says not to worry about tomorrow, because He loves us and He will take care about tomorrow. And as the blessings and provision comes – we will be thankful to Him and keep our eyes on Him alone. We will always know that He is our provider.
Every good thing comes from our Father above. The same God who provides for today will provide for tomorrow. Isn’t it so like God to see that manna will fall again from heaven even if you are in the desert season?
He keeps on training us to never look back and to trust Him for tomorrow. It is called a journey of faith. On this journey He is teaching us to be anxious for nothing, but to humbly depend on Him for our everything.
When we face pain, suffering or difficulty, our first reaction is to take control. We want to have the assurance that everything will be okay. We plan and try to fix everything ourselves. It isn’t wrong to work hard, but God is waiting for us to surrender all, so that He can make a way where there seems to be no way.
The problem comes when we have tried everything, but none of our ways seem to be the right way. It can be a sick child, it can be difficult children, your marriage, finances or a relationship. Sometimes, I think God allows us to walk around the mountain. He is waiting for us to surrender and recognize that He is in control.
He is our all-sufficient Lord and Master, Saviour and our best friend.
I have learned that God wants our hands empty – whatever we hold onto, we will lose – because that will be an idol. How can I open my arms and receive His unconditional love as He waited for me with arms wide open – if I am holding onto my idols?
It can be my children, my gifts, my ministry, my religious rituals, wealth or anything that I find my confidence, identity and security in. In short, it refers to anything that I love more than I love God. A good measure is to scan your thoughts and see how much of your thoughts are about God and how much is going around the mountain of ourselves, our problems, trials and/or difficulties.
Our Abba Father is waiting for us to surrender ourselves into His control and eternal support.
Ps 56 provides a beautiful prayer “When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You. In God, whose Word I praise, in God I have put my trust, I shall not be afraid.”
At the moment, we as a family are facing trials and changes. We also keep on fighting for healing for Aldo and Tinus.
I choose to stay on my face before God and that causes me to remain anchored to my True Foundation of trust. There, on my knees, face to face, I see that Abba Father never allows self-sufficiency. His heart for us is to be completely dependent on Him in every situation we are faced with. Not only in trials.
Even though it is not an easy journey and I will not stop trusting God for His gracious healing and provision. In every situation, I have faced in my life, the outcome always demonstrated His never-ending love for all of us.
My prayer for all of us comes from 2 Thessalonians -
“May the Lord lead your hearts into full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ. May the Lord of peace Himself, give you His peace at all times and every situation.”
Love you my friend and let’s run the race of faith.
Retah