Dont stress, bask

Lately, I’ve been convicted by how much I worry and stress about the future.  I tend to let what could or could not happen tomorrow affect my happiness today.  There are plenty of problems with this. First, I have absolutely no control over what is going to happen a minute from now, let alone tomorrow or the next day.

Second, the most effective way to live is to live one moment, one breath at a time, surrendering each and every decision.  When I am spending my time stressing over outcomes of certain situations, I am not living this moment to its fullest. If you know me, you know I am a planner. I'm organized with my plans almost to the point of OCD. Yes, it’s good to plan and we do need to do a certain amount of that, but plan with the idea in mind that God can do whatever he wants with that plan.

My devotional a couple days ago started out, “Bask in the luxury of being fully understood and unconditionally loved. Dare to see yourself as I see you: radiant in My righteousness, cleansed by my blood.” I love that! Bask… when I think of basking, I think of going to the pool or the beach or the lake and basking in the sun. I’ve always thought of the lake as my happy place. When I am at the lake, basking in the sun, there’s nothing that can bother me. I am now realizing that it is in those times that I am fully living in and enjoying each moment.  Nothing outside of that moment has any effect on me. Why can’t I always be living like that?

I get my hopes up about something that can happen today and when it doesn’t, I get disappointed. I build situations up in my mind and stress when it doesn’t go down exactly that way. Why can’t I just remember that God’s got it under control and maybe that thing wasn’t supposed to happen today? It isn't easy. No one ever said this would be easy. In fact, Jesus tells us multiple times that we will have troubles in this world. John 16:33 tells us that we will have troubles in this world but that Christ has overcome the world.  As I stated in Mighty Battle, there is a constant battle going on in our minds between heaven and earth. Each day is full of decisions. Every decision comes down to simply letting God control our mind rather than the world. The more we acknowledge God's control in every thougth, decision, and situation, the less disappointed we will be in the outcomes of those situations. That’s what brings joy. Again, Joy isn’t necessarily being happy all the time. Happiness is simply a frequent byproduct of the joy that comes from knowing the God of the universe who is working and using each and every situation to further his kingdom.

Here's what I am trying to get at: Remember that God is using absolutely every decision from your past to further his kingdom. There is no need to regret or stress over the past. It is what it is. Move forward in His grace and forgiveness. Remember that he has your future in His control.  There is no need to fear. Fear of the future is lack of trust in God.

Today, I am supposed to love God and love others, while basking in the knowledge that the creator and controller of everything knows everything about me and yet still loves me unconditionally.

I hope that this encourages you today!
 

Matthew 6: 25-34

²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? ²⁸ “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? ³¹ So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

John 16:33
³³ “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”