Day 324: Matthew 6:34

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." ~Matthew 6:34, NIV

Jesus is speaking to a crowd on a mountain, and summarizing some good-life suggestions. A list of the important things includes giving to the needy, prayer, fasting, treasures in heaven, and not worrying.

Whoa. Okay, there's a lot of things going on here - but one thing that Jesus hammers home is this whole idea of not worrying. Regardless of your spirituality, when it all comes down to it, what good does worry do?

Does it inspire a change? Then it's good, and not really worry, that chronic event. Do you obsess over your problem and do nothing to alleviate your worries? Then you're wasting your time. And what good is wasting your time?

Logic has just proven our good Lord's words sound. So if the fact that your good Lord has said it does not convince you, allow categorical analysis to suffice, please.

God bless.

Day 177: 1 Peter 5:7

"Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you." ~1 Peter 5:7, NLT

I think this one speaks for itself... Maybe spend a few minutes casting your burdens onto Jesus?

If God loves you, He wants to teach you how to move past your fears. And in this case, there's an easy said hard to do strategy that says "trust God." That strategy is highly effective - but under certain attitudes. Since we choose our attitudes towards God, this again comes down to a choice.

Will we choose to believe that God is real, and that He truly is going to take care of us? Or will we doubt God's all-encompassing power? Will we resent Him for allowing us pain, for allowing us a chance to grow?

Image: Fotopedia

Day 120: Zephaniah 3:13

"This core holy people will not do wrong. They won't lie, won't use words to flatter or seduce. Content with who they are and where they are, unanxious, they'll live at peace." ~Zephaniah 3:13, MSG

God's plan was always to have a people who obeyed Him and loved Him full-heartedly. It seems that His big idea has always been to create a community of people that live together in harmony and better one another. Why else did He design families, clans, tribes, nations? Even the Church at its heart is essentially one giant community - an overgrown family. In the verses leading up to the one above, God is telling Zephaniah how "one day" everyone will "be able to worship the Lord together," and how there will be no one left on Zions hill who speaks haughtily, or rebels against Him.

The remnant on Zion are who God is talking about in this verse. They will be "lowly and humble" v12. The core, this remnant will be pure in God's sight. With God as their Lord, they will have no one to make them afraid. Content with who God made them to be and what He's leading them to do, they will be confident and trusting in God's part in their life.

We are that remnant - God called us to follow His son, and when we accepted Jesus, we agreed to obey God's commands, and to do no more wrongs. Obviously we mess up sometimes, but God promises to forgive us of our sins when we ask for it, and He gives us the power to say no to temptations. When we truly live in God's promise and will, we're aware of who He is, and we're truly confident that no one can come between us and Him.

Image: Fotopedia

Day 88: Isaiah 7:4

"Tell Ahaz, 'Be careful. Be calm and don't worry. Don't let those two men, Rezin and Pekah son of Remaliah, scare you. Don't be afraid of their anger or Aram's anger, because they are like two barely burning sticks that are ready to go out.'" ~Isaiah 7:4, NCV

These are the words of the Lord given to king Ahaz of Judah through the prophet Isaiah. Samaria and Ephraim had just made an alliance, and Judah became very afraid for their safety. In light of this, God said, "Be calm and don't worry. Don't let them scare you. Don't be afraid."

Yes, God does also say, "Be careful." I often have to remind myself to use my brain and let common sense guide my steps. I'd like to believe that God will guide all of my steps - every single movement, from sending the thought to lift my foot to shifting the muscles to make the next footprint. God didn't give us rocks to think with! He teaches us how to move, and then expects us to follow Him. Don't let fear freeze you in your tracks, obey Him, take an account of all of the things He's done for you and keep going!

Day 64: Proverbs 12:25

"Anxiety weighs the heart down, but a kind word cheers it up." ~ Proverbs 12:25 NIV

Sometimes when I read Proverbs, I get this feeling like "well that was obvious." Verse 17 says "an honest witness tells the truth, but a false witness tells lies" and it's, well, obvious. Honest = truth, false = lies. This verse feels kinda obvious, but I still really like it.

Why?

Because it gives me something I can do! I can find a kind word! And even better, I can give kind words to others when they're weighed down. Anxiety is a very inhibiting thing, it takes what I am capable of doing and lowers it down four or five or twenty notches. For example, I've been worrying about moving to the States. This worry has been inhibiting my ability to really enjoy the time I'm having now, because I'm so weighed down by my future! (I know, I'm a fool. Wasting my precious few moments in Poland worrying about something that hasn't happened yet, how absolutely foolish!)

I've done my homework though, and I've found kind words. A lot of them are in the Bible! (Yet another reason to read it.)

If YOU'RE reading this and feel like you could use an encouraging word, I'd like to remind you of a few things that just might help. (They've helped me.)

GOD MADE YOU SPECIAL

Oh no! I just quoted Veggie Tales... *headdesk* But it's true. I know I've heard the saying "You're unique, just like everybody else" a gazillion times at my school. It's a bit disheartening. But God chose, very specifically, to put you exactly in the place you are now. He didn't choose to put me there, He didn't choose to put Billy Graham there, He didn't choose to put Peter or Paul there, He chose you. You are the perfect fit for His plan. Yeah, it's not always going to be easy. But the passions and desires in your heart are perfect gifts from your perfect Father, from God. I like to play guitar, and I know there's like, several million guitarists out there in the world. But I was the only one of them (who didn't have a broken arm) who led worship for Youth from August 1st to August 12th in Budapest, Hungary 2011 at Impact:Now. God used my talent to reach people that none of the several million guitarists could reach. And if you let Him, He'll use you to influence the people around you. People truly underestimate their value; you are God's precious. His heart breaks if He loses you, and He'll spend your entire life trying to find you again. Which leads us to:

GOD LOVES YOU VERY MUCH!

I realize this is a really abstract statement. And well... it's always been kind of obvious to me, growing up as an MK and all. But think about what this means. If God is the guy who made the universe and everything in it, He's big. He has a lot of things to think about, and you might feel that you're probably not very high on His list. You're wrong. God sent His own son, for you. And God didn't just send Jesus so that He could tell you all sorts of encouraging things, He sent Jesus to suffer and to die for your sins, just so YOU could have a chance at choosing Heaven. He did this because He loves you, and I promise, He really wants to give you the best life possible! And no, the best life won't necessarily include $1 million dollars and the perfect spouse with perfect children. It will be filled with God and His love for you, though. HE is the one who will make it the most incredible, and He'll bless you with what you need. (Just to clarify, what you need and what you want are two completely different things.)

YOU CAN DO IT (with God's help)!

In the New Testament, God promises that He'll never tempt you with more than you can flee from (with His help). In the Psalms, He promises that He'll never "leave nor forsake" you. In the New Testament, Paul writes that he can "do all things through Christ." What am I trying to say? You'll make it. We've already established it'll be hard, but you're not alone! Once you've accepted Jesus into your life, He's with you, and He's with you for good. (Unless you reject Him, but we're assuming that won't happen. Because YOU CAN PERSEVERE!) For me, this means that I can do it, when I move to America, I can make friends, I can get into a good college, I can still be moved and influenced by Jesus! I CAN! I won't be able to do it alone. But that's where Jesus comes in. That's how our relationship grows. And you know what? YOU CAN TOO! Because God believed in you enough to put you exactly where you are right now, He'll give you what you need to be able to do it, if you let Him! And if God believes in you, then for all it's worth, I believe in you too!

Here's a challenge: Give a kind word to someone around you. Let them know that God made them special, that He loves them very much, and that they can do it!

Day 50: 1 Peter 3:14

"But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don't worry or be afraid of their threats." ~1 Peter 3:14 NLT

This one's a double whammy on it's own: "Don't worry OR be afraid." Especially if we're doing the right thing, if we're obeying God then we shouldn't have to bother about the plots and schemes of jealous evil people. Suffering is commonplace, and if we're suffering for God, well then, why worry? Jesus has got us, and Jesus has already been through the worst of the suffering. We suffer because other people sin. Jesus suffered because I sinned, because you sinned, because let's face it: everybody sins. And where there is sin, there will be suffering. But I don't have to be afraid of this threat, because what can they do that's not already being (or been) done?

In the end, fear is a choice. Worrying, it's a choice. God, help me to choose trust and confidence!

Day 25: Jeremiah 46:27

"But you, dear Jacob my servant, you have nothing to fear. Israel, there's no need to worry. Look up! I'll save you from that far country, I'll get your children out of the land of exile. Things are going to be normal again for Jacob, safe and secure, smooth sailing." ~Jeremiah 46:27 MSG

In chapter 46, Jeremiah is blasting Egypt with prophecies of gloom and doom for the proud nation. Egypt is getting ready to attack Babylon, but Jeremiah predicts a horrid loss. "The whole world will hear your anguished cries," verse 12 proclaims. "Egypt will be set back a thousand years," verse 26 foretells. And then God turns His attention back to His people - for all of the trouble He's going to put Egypt in through Babylon, Israel has "nothing to fear." God's people have no need to worry.

"Look up! I'll save you from that far country!" Look up and remember who you're serving! Keep your eyes trained on Jesus, who brought you away from your passport country and will save you no matter where you are! Keep your focus on Jesus, who has made you a citizen of Heaven, and remember He'll save you from the citizenship of Earth! Don't do what Israel did, and think that Egypt can save you. There is no power that can match Jesus, and your steps will falter in the waters on the world when you lose sight of Him. He's brought you to the surface, you're walking on top of it all.

Whatever "normal" is, God will put it back in your life, safe and secure in the arms of God, He'll help you glide across the choppy waters. Or at least He'll take the abnormality of your current situation and make it normal for you.