Today’s Truth

For God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV)

 

Friend To Friend

We do a lot of laundry at the Southerland house. There always seems to be a load in the washer that needs to go in the dryer, a load in the dryer that needs to be folded and a load of dirty laundry waiting to begin the process all over again.

Our washer and dryer have numerous settings for everything from hand washables and fine delicates to cotton and permanent press. After a few loads that yielded pink male underwear and sweaters shrunk to fit Barbie dolls, we decided to wash everything on one setting. Heaven help anyone who dares to change that setting.

When a life crisis comes, we generally have an automatic setting of fear and anxiety. The good news is that we can change that setting to peace and joy!  How? By counting on God.

Count on God to be with you. We battle stress every day, but God is faithful, and we can count on Him to be with us. Worry is trying to fix tomorrow’s problems with today’s resources. God gives grace in daily doses.

“When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you” (Isaiah 43:2 NLT).

Count on God for direction. Life can easily spin out of control in a whirlwind of confusion. God offers clear direction and guidance through His word, through His people and through the Holy Spirit.

“I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you” (Psalm 32:8 NLT).

Count on God for provision. God goes before us in every area of life. Nothing that happens to us will ever surprise God. We must be careful to stay away from that age old scenario sickness of “What if.” There are no “what ifs” when we choose to trust God for every need.

“I will provide their needs before they ask, and I will help them while they are still asking for help” (Isaiah 65:24 NCV).

Count on God for protection. God will fight for us when we are attacked. When we follow God’s agenda, God fights for us. But when we follow our agenda, we are on our own.

“The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still” (Exodus 14:14 NIV).    

I recently saw a bumper sticker that read, “If God is your Co-Pilot, switch seats!”  Great advice! When God is in control, we will have peace – not fear.

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV).

In this verse, “sound mind” means strong judgment and personal discipline, abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind, and self-control. We try to work up these qualities but fail. Why? Because we simply cannot produce these capabilities on our own. They come from God alone.

We have good reason to be afraid when we are in control. Fear feeds stress. Stress thrives in an atmosphere of fear and doubt when our hand is on the steering wheel of life. We need to move over, surrender control to God, and find the peace only He can offer.

 

Let’s Pray

Father, my heart is filled with fear. I am drowning in the uncertainties of my life. Lord, help me surrender my fears to You. Strengthen me to face each one, knowing You are with me. I choose to trust You and doubt my fears. I choose against stress and for peace. I choose You, Lord.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

Now It’s Your Turn

When the tough times come, where do you usually turn first? What are your greatest fears? Make a list and surrender each one to God. Share your list with a close friend.

 

More from the Girlfriends

We often turn to God as a last resort, as if we have tried everything else and since we have no options left, we might as well give God a shot at it! The next time fear assaults you, turn to God and let His peace fight the battle for you.Need help? I just published two devotional books that I believe would be a great way to get in the habit of spending time in God’s word. Check out Life is So Daily!

 

 

And be sure to connect with Mary on Facebook or through email.

Need prayer? Email our Prayer Team Director, Ginger Meador. We would love to pray for you!

© 2022 by Mary Southerland. All rights reserved.

 

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7 Responses to “Can You Really Count on God?”

  1. Joy says:

    Thank you, Mary, hard to believe ‘no comments’ on this yet. Am I the only one who apparently has trouble truly trusting God? I know in my head about God, and many Bible verses about His love for us and special plan for each of us, so why do I get stuck on the ‘fear’ cycle when uncertain things happen in my life? The older I get the less I like change. I want to trust God to save the wayward son I’ve prayed for for many years, but all I see is things seemingly getting worse. I know God loves him, and I hold on to ‘Be STILL and know that I am God’. I have been struggling with thyroid meds since I had a thyroidectomy 6 years ago. When you don’t feel well it is harder to cope.

  2. Joy, you are definitely not the only one who struggles with trusting God. And yes, physical problems definitely impact the way we handle life. The older we get the less we like change is truth! I want to encourage you to read and claim the promises of Psalm 40:1-3. God gave me that passage while I sat at the bottom of a dark, deep pit of depression. I was paralyzed, encased in fear. God slowly but surely brought me out of that darkness using those promises. I wrote “Hope in the Midst of Depression” to tell my story. So hang in there with your son. Keep praying! Don’t give up! Choose to trust God. You may not feel like you can trust God. But choose to trust Him! Blessings!

  3. Sarah says:

    Thank you, Mary. This is exactly what I needed today. Thank you for allowing God to speak through you, it touched my heart and my soul.

  4. Joyce says:

    Thank you for this message Mary. I have faith. I Trust God to do what is best. My problem is submission and control. Thankyou for these scriptures.
    Joyce

  5. Sarah, thank you so much for your kind and encouraging words. God’s timing is always perfect! Blessings!

  6. Lynn says:

    Thank you , Mary I have a son with Parkinson’s . I pray for him several times during the day. I think I am doing good and think God for the wonderful blessings and miracles he has already given him. I praise God always for the he does in my sons life. My son is young 52 yrs old. When he has to have test run a am so afraid for him. I put him on several prayer list but I am still afraid. I trust God why an I so afraid.

  7. Sherry says:

    This Word is timely!! Seeking the Lord for answers and this devotional helped in many ways. Thanks for sharing

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