Worry Versus Trust in God

What happens when you walk out of the door and into your day? Will you walk in His way? Do you make sure you’re ready for whatever happens? Will you handle yourself well, as becomes a child of the King? Will you bless the people God brings your way in the marketplace, home, or church? Will they wonder why they felt the breath of God as you silently prayed for them in passing? Will you encourage a friend, give a book, make a phone call, or pray with someone today? Will you weep with those who weep? Or will you be carrying your personal “heart concerns” with you, becoming so absorbed that you see no one, speak to no one, touch no one, bless no one?

Do you sleep restlessly, subconsciously convinced that the big bad wolf is crouching outside “day’s door,” waiting for you? Do you have a devotional time before you venture forth? If you do, do you ever wonder to yourself, “Why did I bother to do that? That was a waste of time. What good did it do? Nothing’s changed!”

One night, before a busy and what promised to be a difficult day, I determined to get up early in the morning and pray for these pressing personal needs. At the end of my time on the Steps of my Soul, I put all my heart concerns at the foot of the cross, opened the door of my day and walked out. The proverbial wolf growled. I knew it!

At that moment I heard a voice behind me saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” Then, “So, Jill, while I’m working with the things you left in my hands, what are the things that you will be working with that I have left in your hands?”

I stopped dead in my tracks for as soon as the door of my day had closed behind me, I was already worrying about the very things I had risen early to talk to Him about! How silly. And how could I tell Him I would need all my energy to worry about my things that day and didn’t think I’d have much time left over to think about anyone else’s problems? Of course, I didn’t have to tell Him anything!

“What would it feel like,” I thought, “if I walked free, leaving Him to look after the things that were important to me, while I looked after the things that were important to Him? What would my day look like if I really believed and trusted that God was putting His eternal mind to the problems that had been weighing me down and that I had, supposedly, left at His feet?”

That day I decided to find out ─ and believe. (Did I hear an angel say, “About time.”?) Jesus was, I reasoned, quite capable of sorting the problems out! Now I could focus on my “day off” from running the universe! Whew ─ that felt so good!

That night (nothing had changed but me); I was ready to sleep soundly. I couldn’t wait to get up early, however late I got to sleep, and begin all over again!

NOTHINGS CHANGED BUT ME

Nothing’s changed but me,

Well, not immediately!

He promised He would put His mind

To all the things I’ve left behind.

So why should I spend time in town

To tend to things that take me down?

Trust is the key.

While nothing’s changed but me!

Nothing’s changed but me,

Useless, I used to be.

I’d worry on and fuss and fret

And now, though nothing’s changing yet:

The situation looks as bad ─

The lost are lost, the found are sad,

And yet, I’m free!

Yes! Nothing’s changed but me.

I lay my deep dark fearfulness

Down at the cross, and here profess

I’ll pray, and rest, and trust my way

To Him through many a worrying day.

What liberty!

Yet nothing’s changed but me!