And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7, NASB)
This morning while getting ready for church, our oldest daughter, Abby, called to say she was having car troubles…again. Her little red VW Bug, which is now 15 years old, has seen better days. Over the years, we’ve invested thousands of dollars in the little red half circle of fun, as she calls it, and now we’re facing probably another $700 in repairs.
To top it off, my car started making this whistling noise last week and then an odd clicking sound. A trip to our mechanic revealed that my car might be close to needing a new transmission…yikes! And, my car isn’t even that old!
Did I mention that all of these auto woes come at the exact same time that Abby’s fall college tuition is due, as well my new $900 replacement crown because I cracked my old one last month? (Not a princess crown—though that would be way more fun—a crown for one of my back teeth that underwent a root canal earlier this year.)
You know what they say–when it rains, it pours. But, as Jeff and I were discussing all of the upcoming expenses, I literally couldn’t breathe. It was as if the cares of the world were overtaking me.
As we pulled into the church parking lot at the Bedford (Indiana) First Church of God this morning, I said to Jeff, “Well I hope Pastor Travis has a Word of encouragement for me today, because I seriously feel like throwing in the towel.”
God is so good, and so was today’s message. Our key verse today was Philippians 4:6: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”
That really hit me—be anxious for NOTHING. That included everything that was making me quite anxious before service began. I realized at that moment that I can rest in the peace that passes all understanding, knowing that God has got this. None of these upcoming expenses took Him by surprise, and He will provide for us just like He has always has.
We need to respond to every storm—whether it be financial, physical or spiritual—by being B.R.A.V.E., Pastor Travis pointed out.
B—Breathe
Stop stressing and simply breathe and meditate on God.
R—Remember…
…all the times that God has come through for you and remember exactly Who God is!
A—Ask…
…God for His divine intervention and His guidance. He not only has your answer, He IS your answer.
V—Visualize
Ask God to help you see your situation through His eyes.
E—Encourage…
…yourself in the Lord, much like David did when he was in the middle of a very tough day. (1 Samuel 30:1-6)
Let’s be B.R.A.V.E. together!
Pray this with me:
Father, help me to remember that You are more than enough, no matter what I face in life. Thank You, Lord, for caring about my problems, both big and small, and thank You for Your peace that passes all understanding. I love You. In the Mighty Name of Your Son, Jesus, Amen.
