And Jesus said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on.”
Luke 12:22, ESV
I don’t know about you, but there are times when things are tight, and it can be a little harder at some points than others to stretch to the next paycheck. I don’t think I am alone in this, and it is nothing new. Our Lord was speaking to this directly. We know that there are times of struggle. It may be in those times that we pray more. This is not as our Lord desires, but it is not unexpected. God doesn’t want us to be living in fear but to trust in His providence. There have been many times that I have witnessed God’s providence for my family and me. Special gifts or accommodation have become available as we are in need. This doesn’t mean that we should do as we wish and that God will provide, but as we give over our needs to God and differentiate between our wants and our needs, we find that we have enough. Anxiety and worry come because we are feeling that we must be dependent upon ourselves instead of being reliant on God. A great acronym that I learned is FROG which means Fully Reliant On God, and this is a great reminder of our calling as Christians. We are meant to fully rely on Him not just in times of distress but at all times. We can praise Him in times of plenty and be thankful for what we receive when things are tight. Our calling is to trust in Him at all times and leave alone worry and anxiety. We are not to be stressed because of the things that we face in the world but know that He walks with us through it all.
Let us pray. I thank you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, your dear Son, that you have kept me this night from all harm and danger, and I ask you to protect me this day also from sin and every evil, that in all I do today, I may please you. For into your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all that is mine. Let your holy angel watch over me, that the wicked foe have no power over me. Amen.