Jesus didn’t die so that we should live on struggling. No, His desire is for us to live on full of hope, peace, and joy.
That sounds like a dream come true while living in our society today, but just think of how many times you actually practice faith in your daily lives.
- You have faith every time you sit in a chair that the chair is going to bear your weight and it will allow you to sit.
- You have faith when you leave your house that when you return everything will be just as you placed it when you return.
- You have faith that when you park your car it will remain in that place until you return to it.
You have faith that you use every single day, and yet we can still face a daily battle of confusion, anxiety, or worry.
Now, because you are confused, or because you have anxiety, or because you worry, does not mean that you don’t have faith in God.
But, what it could mean is that you are partially holding onto things and you might not be trusting God completely. It's time to let go and let God reign over your life. It's time to trust him, wholeheartedly.
It is time to let go of the control of your life, and take the pressure off of yourself. That’s the beauty of letting go and letting God. “’Have faith in God,’ Jesus answered.” Mark 11:22
We must have faith in God, so here are three pieces of scripture to help guide you to let go, and let God.
1. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:6
It is easy to feel overwhelmed in anxiety and worry in your life, but the truth is, those emotions are not what God asks us to feel.
That doesn’t just mean praying for the things we do not have, but it could also mean to pray for forgiveness, to pray for healing, to pray for provision, to pray for wisdom; there are so many areas that we must seek prayer, but before we present our requests to God, we must first praise God for what we already have!
Think about your life. Think about all that is good about it. Tell God how thankful you are for them all.
Think about what you are
2.“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13
If you struggle with anxiety, worry, confusion, or whatever else, this scripture is good news! The good news is that if you take the step to trust in God, and really trust in Him, trust that He will fill you with joy and peace, then He will. When He does, there will be no room for anxiety or worry. In order to receive this though, you must trust that He truly cares enough about you and that He wants you to receive the good news. He wants you to receive peace and joy, and He wants you to overflow your life with hope. He does, you just need to trust Him.
3.“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” Romans 12:12
It is so easy to want God to fix any problem right here, right now, instantaneously. The miracle behind the good work is that just because it cannot be seen, doesn’t mean it isn’t being worked on. This scripture teaches us that we should be joyful in hope – we should be full of happiness and glee as we hope in faith. Then, it says we should be patient in affliction. Patience is difficult, especially in affliction, but it is what God is asking us to do. So, sometimes we need to take a step back, breathe, let go, and then as the last part of this scripture says, we need to be faithful in prayer.
We can pray, pray, pray, pray, pray, and then…..pray. The good news is, God hears it. He hears your prayers, and He reads your heart. When your heart breaks, so does His. And, if you learn to lean on him, fully, you will find delight in Him.
