When life seems too hard

Much of our stress is brought on by our need to know everything ahead of time—to be in control. Even after we pray and supposedly turn the problem over to God, we live by the philosophy “hope for the best and plan for the worst”! You don’t put your money into the bank and then stay awake all night worrying about it, right? Well, have at least that much confidence in God! When you find yourself in the downward spiral of “How? What? When? Where?” stop and give it to God. Not the limited God of your understanding, but the unlimited God whose track record speaks for itself, whose faithfulness never fails, and who has earned the right to ask, “Is anything too hard for [me]?” Jesus never suffered from the fear of failure like we do. Why? Because He never entertained the thought that He couldn’t do something that His Father had assured Him He could do. And He didn’t suffer from the fear of lack, either. Even though He lived a simple life, He was responsible for supporting Himself and a team of others. How did He do it? The Bible says He prayed morning, noon, and night, staying in constant touch with His heavenly Father. Consequently, He knew how to catch fish when they weren’t biting, and even find tax money in a fish’s mouth when He needed it. Now, God may not provide for you in exactly that way, but He has promised to take care of you. Here is a promise you should live by today: “God cares for you, so turn all your worries over to him” (1 Peter 5:7 CEV).