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Dan's Thoughts -- It's All Going To Be O.K.
As I write this, I'm six months away from my military retirement, and don't yet have any firm plans for the future. We may move, or may stay here. I may get a job with the federal government, or with a private company, or maybe no job at all. I may get higher pay, lower pay, or no pay. The one thing I do know, though, is that God is in control, and it's all going to be o.k... " 'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.' " (Jeremiah 29:11, NIV) "My God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." (Phillipians 4:19, NIV)...and though I tend to get anxious about what might happen, God tells me I shouldn't. In the words of the apostle Paul, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Phillipians 4:6-7, NIV)That doesn't mean he'll give us material wealth or long life or freedom from pain; it means he'll always be with us meeting our true needs. In fact, it seems the power of God shows most clearly to an unbelieving world when we're going through trials. Paul went on in the same passage to say, "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." (Phillipians 4:12-13, NIV)This confidence comes from having a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. He loves me so much he died for my sins, so I wouldn't have to, and so I could live with him forever. If he loves me that much, and has such power over death itself, how can I NOT trust him to meet all my needs? Jesus himself said, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" (Matthew 6:25-26, NIV) "So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (Matthew 6:31-34, NIV)And, ultimately, no matter what happens to us in this life, we have the hope of a wonderful eternal future. "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." (John 14:1-3, NIV) "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him." (1 Corinthians 2:9, NIV)I have a friend who recently faced an impending job loss, and was joyful and unworried about it. He did his part, writing a resume and so on, but he was a great example to me of trusting the Lord to take care of him and his family. This is an exciting time for us...we're looking forward to what God has in store! |