Walk up to face your fear full on and consign even that possible outcome to the care of your loving God. Surrender to the possibility of what you fear the most. Surrender as an act of ruthless trust, knowing that God’s love will ultimately be enough to cover you. Relinquishment is the act that says, “I trust You, Jesus. And I trust that whatever You allow to happen to me or to the one I am praying for, Your love will keep us all close to Your heartbeat for now and through eternity.”
Uncertainty
Chris Cruz
I realized fear is uncertainty in the nature of God. It’s our Father’s good pleasure to take care of his children… when we lack confidence in who God is, we lack the confidence to overcome fear. The courage to follow God’s invitation, and to trust in his nature, will always feel like a sacrifice at first. The apostle Paul actually tells the Corinthian church, “We who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be made manifested in our mortal flesh. So, death works in us, but life in you,” 2 Corinthians 4:10–12.) NASB He’s telling them there are parts of Christ that will never be formed an ass unless we are willing to sacrifice.
Graham Cooke
God gives you chaos so you can experience the brooding presence of the Holy Spirit. Think of yourself as an egg and He’s the hen. He’s just going to sit on you for a while. He alone forms destiny and shapes identity, and often in the chaos, we can stand with God in peace and say, “Well, I don’t understand everything that’s happening, but You know what? I don’t really need to. I’m just going to worship You. I know You, Lord. I trust You. You will make it clear but I do not need to understand something in order to respond to You. I am responding to You knowing that I will eventually understand.” So the emptiness you feel need not be stressful. See it as a womb that is designed to carry the presence of God.
Steve Long
When you’re confronted with a change that challenges you, talk to the Holy Spirit about it. Create an environment where you’re not distracted, quiet yourself down, focus on Jesus, and ask what He has to say. Sometimes, God will show you what He’s saying in the change, but sometimes He’ll simply put you at peace.
Thomas Merton
My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.
Christine Caine
We are all in the midst of change, turmoil, chaos and/or transition. It is easy to lose heart when you feel like you’ve lost control. When you don’t understand what’s going on or can’t work out what’s ahead, you don’t have to despair, you can choose to trust God. He’s got you. I want to remind you that God is for you, he is with you and working all things together for your good and His Glory. It might not look or feel like it right now, but one day we will see and know without a doubt that he who promised is faithful.
Sally McClung
Everything has changed because of what we’re facing, but nothing has changed in terms of who He is in our midst. “He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”
Katherine Walden
John 14:1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God believe also in me.” In seasons of uncertainty and turmoil, we are being asked to make a deliberate decision. We are being asked to not allow our hearts to be troubled. The only way I know how to do that is to spend copious amounts of time with God so I can walk through hard times from a place of peace… and that peace will impact those directly around me. It starts with me.
Timothy Z Witmer
April 5, 2020
Sometimes we too feel like we’re in a maze and don’t know which way to turn. We fear that if we take a wrong turn, it will lead to a dead-end from which we might not be able to escape. When we’re feeling lost and frustrated, the Lord knows our circumstances and is eager to direct us if we’ll just ask him. Prayer puts us in touch with the One who sees the beginning from the end.
Katherine Walden
January 24, 2020
Are you going through a battle today? Is your mind racing in a thousand directions as you wonder if you’ll make it through? Think back. Have you ever won a desperate battle, a prolonged battle that required all your strength and faith, a battle that you were not sure of the outcome and yet you continued to war? When the victory was finally won and the initial adrenaline-fueled elation faded, did you experience a quiet, profound peace? Remember that peace and stand on that testimony. God came through for you then and he’ll come through for you now.