We are HIS!

Isaiah 49: 13

Shout for joy O heavens; rejoice, O earth; burst into song, O mountains!  For the LORD comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones.  NIV

My “hope” word search has brought me to Isaiah.  This morning, as I was looking for a “hope,” this verse jumped off the page at me.

Don’t fret!  Rejoice!  If you won’t do it, God’s other creations will.  Because God is faithful.  He comforts us and has compassion on us, even in the worst of times.

We are HIS!

That’s what I’ll think about today.

It’s all water under the bridge

Job 11:16

You will surely forget your trouble, recalling it only as waters gone by.  NIV

As I work my way through these last few weeks of my project, I’ve begun a word search on “hope.”  It strikes me that “hope” is an antonym for worry, and that therefore I might find several reminders this way.  This morning, a phrase on the listings of the word “hope” caught my eye and brought me back here to Job 11, where I’ve been before.

The verses just preceding this one are ones that I looked at back in June of last year.  They read in part, “Yet if you devote your heart to him … you will stand firm without fear.”

It is interesting to me that I stopped at that point in exploring this rich chapter.  Today’s reminder is a truth that I likely would not have recognized at the time.

You will surely forget your trouble, recalling it only as waters gone by.

My life, like everyone else’s, has had its share of disruptions.  In the thick of a trial, I’ve often been nearly derailed by my circumstances and my propensity to worry over them.  My troubles have seemed like flood waters threatening to carry me away.  That’s where I was last February, when I began this project.

With the perspective gained by a year of time passing, with the love and support of my dear friends and my precious family, and with the knowledge and new skills I’ve gained from a year of diligently scouring God’s word for reminders not to worry, I can see the truth in this verse.

Worry is pointless and fruitless and, like the majority of our troubles here, short-lived.  The vast majority of things that seem horrible at the time are merely part of the ebbs and flows of life.  Having said that, some things here are truly horrible … some things forever re-route the path of the river of your life and the lives of those you love, but, life … moves on.

That is what this verse is saying to me.  Don’t dwell on the past, don’t be too concerned with the events of the present, and don’t even think about the next worry that might come your way … because in time … You will surely forget your trouble, recalling it only as waters gone by.

Instead, invest your time in others, use the gifts God has given you for the good of the kingdom.  Store up treasures in heaven.

That’s what I’ll think about today.

You’re asking the wrong question

I Samuel 14: 6

Jonathan said to his young armor bearer, “Come, let’s go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised fellows.  Perhaps the LORD will act in our behalf.  Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving whether by many or by few.” NIV

It’s February.

I began this journey last February, while I was in the midst of a Beth Moore study.  It is so fitting that I’ll finish this February, in the midst of another.  Last night, the women of my church began to study, “David – A Heart Like His.”  I am so looking forward to this study.  David is my very favorite person in the Bible.

But, we’ve begun by looking at the faith of others who would touch and shape David’s life.  We spent the first day of our homework with Jonathan.

In this verse, he is young, and has set off on an adventure, alone with only his armor bearer.

As he and his young companion creep up on the Philistine camp, he says, “Perhaps the LORD will act in our behalf.  Nothing can hinder the LORD from saving whether by many or by few.”

Nothing can hinder the LORD!

Jonathan knows that God can accomplish anything … his only question is whether God will choose to do so.

It struck me last night as I was doing the homework that this has been a source of worry for me in the past … will God do what I want Him to do?

The joy, the freedom of the redeemed life comes in flipping the question.

Not, “Will God do what I want?”  but, “What does God want of me?”

Each day, I must ask, “How can I fall in and be helpful in God’s plan … whatever it is that He chooses to do?”

God can accomplish whatever He chooses.

That’s what I’ll think about today

In you I trust

Psalm 25:1-2

To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul, in you I trust, O my God.  Do not let me be put to shame nor let my enemies triumph over me. NIV

Yesterday, I saw the new movie in the Chronicles of Narnia series.  I didn’t read the books as a child, or even as an adult, for that matter, but, I have loved the movies.  I especially love this latest one.  It is a vivid illustration of this verse.

God is the ultimate victor.  If we are aligned with Him, if our trust is in Him, if we look to Him as the source of all power, our enemies — worry, fear — whatever they may be will not triumph over us.

To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul.

In you I trust O my God.

That’s what I’ll think about today.

I’d like one handful, with a side of tranquility

Ecclesiastes 4:6

Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind. NIV

I found this verse this morning when searching “The Message” for the word, “fun.”

When you’re worried, you’re not having any … so, I thought there might be some verses that spoke to that.  The fun verse is a little further down, but, while I was reading in The Message, I found this verse, “One handful of peaceful repose is better than two fistfuls of worried work — More spitting into the wind.” MSG

Worried work — I love that.

We work and work and work so that we can climb the corporate ladder, and then what?  If all we’ve accomplished is to get to the top, once we’re there, we’re faced with the question, “what’s next?”

But, if instead, we are approaching life with a larger sense of purpose … if we’re focused on giving of ourselves instead of getting for ourselves, we will be positioned to fulfill God’s will for our lives and we ourselves will be fulfilled.  We’ll have the tranquility that this verse mentions.

That’s what I’ll think about today.

Stop it!

II Kings 17:14

But they would not listen and were as stiff-necked as their fathers, who did not trust in the Lord their God.  NIV

Sometimes (read, “often”) worries are of our own making.

I looked up “stiff-necked” in my NIV concordance.  It’s two Hebrew words.  The first is translated hard, harsh, cruel, stubborn and difficult … but it can also mean, interestingly, “distressed.”  The second, not surprisingly, means, “neck,” and there’s a note there that says, “to be stiff of neck means to be obstinate, stubborn, implying rebellion.”

They would not listen … they were stubborn … they also were, no doubt, distressed.

God tells us over and over again not to worry.  He tells us the right things to be focused on … trusting Him, serving Him, fellowshipping with others.  And yet, sometimes, worry still calls me … much like the sins discussed in this chapter of II Kings must have called the Israelites.

Months ago, one of my dearest friends sent me a link to a video on YouTube.

The clip, titled simply “Stop It,”  features Bob Newhart, one of my very favorite comedians.  He’s playing a familiar role as a psychologist, and he’s counseling a young woman.  It is a perfect illustration of today’s reminder.

Just LISTEN to what God is telling you.  TRUST Him.  Stop doing whatever else it is that is getting in the way of those two things, just stop it!

That’s what I’ll think about today.

He’s in charge

Jeremiah 46: 28a

“Do not fear, O Jacob my servant, for I am with you,” declares the Lord. NIV

This morning, I came to the end of the listings of the word, “fear” in my King James concordance.  The word appears hundreds of times in various forms, but, as I went through the list, I was mostly focusing on times that it was paired with “not.”

This particular “fear not” is one that I found months ago, but, didn’t catalog.  The remainder of this verse is a bit … sobering.  God says, “I will not completely destroy you.  I will discipline you but only with justice;  I will not let you go unpunished.”

The Biblical reminders not to worry that I’m finding are not just platitudes.  They aren’t like that song, “Don’t worry … be happy.”  Candidly, I’m not a big fan of that song … when you’re worried, it is very challenging to flip that switch to happiness on your own.

But, the Bible tells us, over and over, that we don’t have to face worry alone.  This verse says, “Do not fear … I am with you.”

And, the verses that I’m finding are showing me that worry over things to come is really not my responsibility — more than that, it’s above my pecking order.  “Do not fear … my servant.”

God reminds us that we needn’t worry because we’re not in charge … He is.

That’s what I’ll think about today.

Don’t quit!

Revelation 2:10

Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer.  I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you and you will suffer persecution for ten days.  Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.  NIV

Be faithful.

The Message paraphrases this part of the verse, “Don’t quit, even if it costs you your life.  Stay there believing.” MSG

Whatever comes, whatever trials you must endure, whatever or whomever tries to rob you of your joy … be faithful!

That’s what I’ll think about today.

 

Do you have hope?

Proverbs 24: 19-20

Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of the wicked, for the evil man has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.  NIV

Curiously, one of the most fun things about this project is the hunt for each day’s reminder.

I’m never quite sure where the search will take me.  I have several word searches that I’ve begun, but, candidly, I’ve been reluctant to finish any of them in all 66 books of the Bible because, I think, I feared that there would not be 365 reminders and then I would have failed.

But, as each day passes and there seem to be no lack of reminders, I’m gaining confidence that my goal will be achieved.

This morning, I decided to do some clean up on the “worry” list.

I’ve already completely mined The Message for the word “worry.”  This morning, I chose the Holman Christian Standard Bible and I found myself in Proverbs.  When I looked up this verse in the NIV, it reminded me that I’ve not yet finished the “fret” list … perhaps that’s one to return to tomorrow.

Today, I am reminded that the evil man “has no future hope.”

This is sad to me.

I spent all day yesterday thinking about “waiting” and “hoping” as synonyms.

Last night, during Bible Study, I was reminded that my hope is assured.  My God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.

But, the evil man, the non-believer, has no future hope.

He IS waiting merely for buses and doctors, and ultimately for an end apart from Jesus.

The evil man has real cause to worry … the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.

As I make my way through this day, I’ll think about that.  How can I reduce another’s worry by helping him or her to find the path home?

That’s what I’ll think about today.

 

 

Look up!

Psalm 123: 1

I lift up my eyes to you, to you whose throne is in heaven. NIV

This is such a powerful reminder not to worry.

My propensity to worry is all about where I put my focus.

If I want to be worry free, I can’t look ahead.  If I look to the future, my focus will be on things I cannot control.

I can’t look back.  If I dwell on the mistakes of my past, my attention will be diverted by things I cannot change.

I can’t look down.  If I look down at my own feet, I’ll be tempted to try to make things right under my own power.

It is only when I look up, to God, when I put my full focus on Him, that I can achieve a life free of worry.

That’s what I’ll think about today.