“Mommy’s a little stressed out right now,” I told my paralyzed ministry dog Miss Mercy as I got ready to change her diaper. Not that she would understand or answer, of course. Though she likely like many dogs picks up on my stress. But sure enough I got a response. From God.
Four simple, straightforward, powerful words.
“Give it to me,” I heard the Holy Spirit speak to my heart.
Years of learning to hear the voice of God and learning how to measure all I hear against the Bible because God only and always speaks in line with His Word.
Was God speaking to me? Oh, yes! And perhaps through this message He will speak to you! How did what I hear line up with the Bible?
God tells us not to be anxious about anything. He tells us to cast our cares on Him. He tells us to give Him our burdens. He tells us not to be afraid. He tells us what to do when we are overwhelmed. He tells us to come to Him and find rest when we are weary. And that is just a tiny bit of all the encouragement, comfort, wisdom, and Truth He gives us in the Bible.
I have a really bad habit of hanging on for dear life to what I am stressed out about, thinking about it endlessly, trying to figure out how to handle it, losing sleep over it, worrying incessantly, etc. Not just a bad habit. Sin. Sin that needs to be gotten rid of. When in fact we are NOT called by God to hold on for dear life to our stress, worries, issues, challenges, struggles, etc. We are to hold on for dear life to Him and to the Bible and to go forth putting our trust in Him to lead, guide, and provide for us as we seek to humbly, lovingly, faithfully seek and fulfill His will for our lives.
There is absolutely no joy and enjoyment in the awfulness of stress. But there is unfathomable love, hope, peace, joy, and wonderfulness in the Lord, in a personal forever intimate relationship with Him, in spending time in His presence loving Him, praising Him, worshiping Him, seeking and hearing Him, experiencing and enjoying Him, and in living our lives to fulfill His greatest commands to love Him with all our hearts and to love one another.
Please join me in learning day by day how to release our hold on our stress and issues etc. and to give it all to the Lord and hold onto Him and His Word and His will and His ways instead!
Need encouragement? Pray and dig into the Bible. Here is a good place to start:
“casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7 NKJV
“Cast your burden on the LORD, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.” Psalms 55:22 NKJV
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” Philippians 4:6-8 NKJV
“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew 6:34 NKJV
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”” Matthew 11:28-30 NKJV
“You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalms 16:11 NKJV