I turn 40 this June; yup, it’s the big one.
To be transparent, I’ve always been a very easy-going guy. I rest in my current situations, I’m pretty simple, and I don’t need much to be happy. I often joke that I’d be just as happy “in a van down by the river” as in a mansion. In fact, give me the van if it has woods and hunting and fishing around it!
However, recently I’ve been really struggling with trusting God with my future…scratch that, not so much MY future, but my family’s. Anyone else have a really hard time 100% trusting God with your wife and kids, their security, their safety? I am. I love them so very much that I want to control their circumstances, their future, their well-being and I feel very responsible for it. I know all the verses and all the theology that combats those thoughts, but they are real thoughts and real stresses that I (and likely some of you) face.
I find myself, perhaps more than ever, running to God for help, “I believe, help my unbelief.” God, I believe you have our future in our hands, I believe you have my sons in your hands, I believe you love my wife more than I do…Lord, help me to rest in that and really believe, down deep, and help me to carry out that faith in my life…allowing me to take risks for your sake and to be efficient and wise and successful for you!
It’s amazing to me that, when I need it most, God shows up and reminds me how blessed I am and how much He has done for me. The very one person that I’m so thankful for is my Dad. I cannot even write in words how wise he is. Beyond that, He is the display of unconditional and sacrificial love. He and my mom are Hall of Fame parents that should start a parent-help consulting company. They are amazing people! Then there’s this incredible, one-of-a-kind, radio ministry that God has placed me in. I heard at least two of our radio speakers reference my exact struggles within the past month or so. One of them, Chuck Swindoll, talked about how God keeps us on the edge of crisis so that we trust Him and grow our faith in Him. That is so very true and I love that what my family has poured our lives into also blesses us! (Shameless plug for listening to WDCX more, it WILL help you in your life!)
God’s word says that He knows the hairs on our head, He keeps record of every sparrow that falls to the ground…you don’t think He fully knows your crisis, your future, your needs? He does. He loves you more than you can comprehend. If you’re having a difficult time, even a crisis, rest in that FACT that the God of the entire universe has a personal interest in you and is working through your difficulties to grow you and make you even stronger in Him.
Pick out one of our strong bible-teaching programs, listen each weekday morning with your bible open (if you can) and WATCH God grow you and watch your anxiety, problems, stresses, etc. SHRINK. God is real, He is good, and He loves you, yes YOU!
