2nd Kings chapter 8. DON'T WORRY!
Elisha told the Shunammite woman she and her husband and son must go stay elsewhere for there will be a famine in the land for 7 years. So they stayed in the land of the Philistines. After the seven years she noticed everything she owned was taken by the King of Israel. When the king heard that it was the Shunammite's son that Elisha had healed years ago, the king gave everything back to her and her family including all the income produced from the land over the seven years.
The Shunammite woman and her family had lost everything and then it was returned.
I wonder if they worried for 7 years what would happen to their belongings. I wonder what questions they pondered in their mind over and over again during the seven years?
1. I wonder what will happen to our land?
2. If the king takes it, will we get it back?
3. What will we do if we have no land? Where will we live?
But GOD took care of them and worked it out in an unexpected manner.
We seem to be prone to worry and worry tends to entertain questions dealing with “What-Ifs”. We focus on the What-Ifs so much that we convince ourselves that we have a right to worry. We convince ourselves we are in such an impossible situation that God himself can't help us. We worry over our jobs, relationships, finances, sickness, family, etc., everything.
Matthew 6:33 says Seek first God's kingdom and his righteousness and then all these things we worry about God will take care of.
1. God help me seek first your kingdom by allowing you to reign number one in my life.
2. Help me seek first your righteousness by striving to be holy in your sight.
3. Help me to take everything to you in prayer and then trust you with it.
There is much in this life that we could worry about, but God is on the throne. I was thinking about how Israel and Judah had so many bad leaders and the people suffered so much, but yet God was still there and in control through it all. Nothing can separate us from His love. I’m glad that I read this chapter and Pastor Blair’s encouraging words today as I needed to be reminded not to worry.
Check out Philippians 4:4-7.
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, 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 your minds in Christ Jesus.”
As we exit 2019 and enter into 2020, may we pray more and worry less. May we also grow more from being in God’s Word.