"Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7 NLT

God's been working overtime in my life the last few years, and it dawned on me that the three key principles he's trying to drill in to my head are: be obedient, be patient, and just trust him with everything! Wow! Imagine the peace that would follow if I could live this way daily!

And if it wasn't for the many situations that have been beyond my control and left me at God's mercy, I wouldn't have learned to reply on him and anticipate his work in my life. It took me an embarrassingly long time to stop reacting to crises by panicking and to instead approach them as "opportunities to trust God." Once I began to view uncertainty, conflict, and stress in this light, I began to experience the peace that this verse promises.

"Practice makes perfect," so God knew that it would take me many lessons to reduce my panic-time to zero and go straight to trust. I haven't fully achieved this goal, but I can say that my panic-time has been drastically reduced and I find myself anticipating God's provision or revelation, depending on the situation.

He doesn't always come through the way we think he should. Sometimes he leaves us in the mess for a while because he wants us to understand his nature or our own issues better. But whatever the circumstance, God is in it with us, working for our good. Let's claim this verse and experience a mind-blowing peace!

"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." Genesis 1:1 NLT

"Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take." Proverbs 3:6 NLT

If the earth was too close to the sun, we would fry. If the earth was too far away, we would freeze. But the earth is at the exact distance necessary to to sustain life. Our atmosphere is divided into five layers, all of which serve a different purpose in maintaining the conditions essential for life to exist on the planet. When God created the heavens and the earth, he set into place meticulous scientific laws to preserve a life-nourishing environment.

The same God who created the universe with such precise order created you and me--"knit" us together, as the psalmist says. The incredible detail that is evidenced in every aspect of scientific discovery testifies to the infinite wisdom of our Creator. Doesn't it stand to reason that if he is capable of setting the planets in orbit around the sun and placing the cytoplasm within the cell, he can order the lives of his children?

Although you and I may have no idea of how today fits into the journey of our lives, or what we will be doing in five years, God knows. He gives us the freedom to make choices, to make mistakes even, but when we submit to his loving will we can rest in confidence that our lives are being directed by the Creator of the Universe. When we align ourselves with God, he will order our lives which such wisdom and love that it will take our breath away!

"But she said, 'I swear by the Lord your God that I don't have a single piece of bread in the house. And I only have a handful of flour left in the jar and a little cooking oil in the bottom of the jug. I was just gathering a few sticks to cook this last meal, and then my son and I will die.'

"But Elijah said to her, 'Don't be afraid! Go ahead and do just what you've said, but make a little bread for me first. Then use what's left to prepare a meal for yourself and your son. For this is what the Lord, the God of Isreal says: There will always be flour and olive oil left in your containers until the time when the Lord sends rain and the crops grow again!'" I Kings 17: 12-14 NLT

Imagine you are the widow at Zaraphath. You have only enough flour and oil to make one last meal for yourself and your child. Then you will succumb to starvation. Now a man shows up and asks you to share it with him--but he promises God will provide all you need until times improve. What would you do?

Perhaps she knew he was a prophet of God and could be trusted. It still took a great act of faith on her part to share that precious meal with him. She didn't have the benefit of hearing the Sermon on the Mount, but she demonstrated what it means to "seek first the kingdom of God and all [that you need] will be given to you as well."

When we step out in faith and earnestly seek to obey God, we never know how God is going to bless us. Sometimes it's above and beyond our wildests imaginings. God could have provided for Elijah without the widow's help, as he did at the Kerith Brook when ravens brought him bread and meat. But in his love for this woman and her son, God brought Elijah to her, not only to multiply her flour and oil, but to multiply her faith.

When we respond in obedience to God and see his fingerprints upon our lives, our faith is reinforced and strengthened in amazing ways! God chose this widow to be the recipient of a miracle. But she had to be willing to say "Yes."

"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? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? ...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 6:26-27, 33-34 NIV

Most of us are familiar with this passage. But we probably need to hear it again. Worry is such a natural part of our existence, especially in these unsettled times when unemployment continues to rise and we're counting every penny. I mean, how can we realistically live this out?

The birds don't prepare for future hard times, yet God provides for them. But let's face it: we're humans, and Americans at that. We are driven to accumulate money and stuff and to spend most of our time in this pursuit. Not necessarily becauses the pursuit itself brings pleasure, but because we are rewarded with a sense of accomplishment and security.

But material security is mere illusion. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. True security rests in the awareness that God is our provider. He will take care of us... though not necessarily in the style we are accustomed to or prefer.

While God does expect us to be responsible and to plan ahead as best we can, our focus should be on God's kingdom, not on building a "castle in the sand." The waves of misfortune can easily wipe it out.

Difficult times may be God's way of blessing us. Instead of viewing our uncertainty about the future as a worry, we should see it as an opportunity to trust in our Provider. Absolute trust in God's provision may appear irresponsible, but it's much wiser than trusting in our own abilities, bank accounts or employers.

"Early on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance... Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher). ...Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: "I have seen the Lord!" And she told them that he had said these things to her." John 20:1, 16, and 18 NLT

Are you familiar with the hymn In the Garden? It's such a precious story of the kind of relationship we can have with the Lord. I love these beautiful words:

"And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known."

God is not a remote Creative Force nor is he a Great Judge in the sky. Yes, he is the Creator of the Universe, and he is a righteous God who will mete out judgment. But there is so much more to him! At Christmas and Easter, we marvel at the amazing truth of God becoming flesh and living among us and the tremendous sacrifice of his death to be our atonement.

But do we walk with him every day as we go about our busy lives? Are we aware of his presence as we come and go? Do we hear his voice whispering those healing words, "You are my own?" Do we experience the joy that comes from this intimate relationship with our Lord?

Sometimes I imagine God as a beloved father walking beside me through life. When I am afraid, he holds my hand. When I need guidance, he puts an arm around my shoulders and gently steers me in the right direction. God doesn't live in the church to be visited on Sunday morning. Invite him to walk with you.

"This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; He is my God, and I trust Him." Psalm 91:2 NLT

Visualize the dreams that you hold dearest to your heart as sitting in your two hands. You know, those things that you long for with such fierce intensity that it takes your breath away. How tightly are you holding on to them?

If our happiness is hinged on the success of these dreams and God has a different plan for us, or has a different time table than we desire, happiness is beyond our reach. The trick is to hold these dreams loosely, to give them to God to fulfill, deny, or defer until a future date.

This is the basis of absolute trust. This is the most difficult--but important--lesson we can learn. To truly put our lives in his hands and accept whatever he gives us. To know, deep in our souls, that he loves us and is at work for our ultimate good.

Now visualize the pain that you carry resting in your hands. How tightly are you holding on to it? You do not cling to it the way you cling to your dreams, but it is such a part of you that
your fingers clutch it tightly. Release your grip. Hold it loosely. Ask God to take it away. Then let him.

Absolute trust in God means letting go of the illusion of control and having confidence in his presence in our lives, dirrecting us with wisdom and love. When we can truly believe this, we will find peace.

"The Eternal God is your refuge, and his everlasting arms are under you." Deuteronomy 33:27 NLT

In Matthew 14:29 Peter stepped out of the boat and onto the waves. He was taking a risk and putting his faith in Jesus. And all seemed to be going well, until his focus shifted to the strong wind and the waves. Then he began to sink.

In a moment of bravery we step out of our safety zones and into the ocean of uncertainty. We have a fleeting feeling of security, but then our hearts are flooded with fear as the difficulties loom over us with all the menacing power of a raging storm. And in that moment, we are no longer safe. We are drowning.

But the beautiful truth is that we don't have to drown. We can choose to be saved. Because underneath us are the everlasting arms, and all we must do is to cry out, "Lord, save me!" and he will catch us and hold us in his embrace.

I love the comforting words of the hymn:

What have I to dread, what have I to fear,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
I have blessed peace with my Lord so near,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.

Don't let the waves suck you under and drown you. The struggles are real, the fear is real, but there is a power greater than the reality of your troubles. We may begin to sink, but we don't have to drown, for underneath us are the everlasting arms.