Revert Not

It's been pretty evident I've been struggling lately. Not that I'm doubting plans, God, or any of that. And by plans, I mean HIS plans, not mine. It's that my focus has been on the trials and tests before me and NOT on God.

I could give you a laundry list of concerns, scenarios, circumstances that are troubling me lately. Some bring more anxiety than others. And they all have a common denominator: I have no control over any of them.

Knowledge of the fact that God does, is and always will have control over them hasn't been enough lately because I fell into a trap. The enemy frequently sets traps before us. And this time, I stumbled into it.

Never has my knowledge changed. But my focus did. Rather than repeatedly rejoicing in the knowledge I have deep within that God is a good God, that He is Jehovah Jirah, that He is never late, that He sees me now and in the future, that He is fighting my battles for me, that He wants me to lean into Him, to trust Him, to have faith, to believe and to do my part, I looked at the list.

The Lord is close to the broken hearted. He rescues those who are crushed in Spirit. -Psalm 34:18

Hebrews 10:23
23Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.

These two verses came to me within the past 24 hours. They have been tremendously helpful in redirecting my thoughts. My faith hadn't disappeared, but my thoughts had shifted to the list. And the longer I looked at it, the more anxious I became. And the more anxiety I felt, the more I reverted to old ways thinking I needed to figure it out and some how do something about it. The more control I thought I needed of these situations, the more burden I felt. The more burdened I became, the more discouraged I became.

It's a trap. If you are looking at your circumstances only, if you are looking at the obstacles in your life and thinking to yourself, "How on earth...?" You find your chest is tight, you cannot breathe normally, you have headaches, your blood pressure is too high, you're eating constantly (or not at all), you're drinking more, smoking more, participating in other risky activities....

Stop looking at the obstacle.

You've allowed the enemy to steal not only your peace, but also your joy. Redirect your thoughts. You do have control over that. But not over your situation every time.(Granted, if the mess you're in is because of irresponsible behavior or decision making, you can change that - but if it's a product of the down economy or the actions of others, not so much.) You can't make that job come to you even if you're applying everywhere. You can't make your bank account multiply if you're doing all you can. You can't make the tires grow new tread.

But you can speak the promises of Jehovah Jirah. You can praise Him for your blessings. You can lift your hands in worship. You can trust in Him.

Do what you can do. Let God do the rest.