There are two things that undoubtedly tend to cause me to stress and worry! Automobile trouble and financial struggles. Car repairs usually result in money problems, right? Twice the stress.
Recently my friend Carol told me about a car repair experience. The last time she took her car in for repair it ended up costing her several hundred dollars, which she did not have. So this time, expecting the repair to be costly, she had postponed taking the car in for several months. Eventually Carol realized that she could not procrastinate any longer. So she took the car in dreading the anticipated bad news to follow.
However, she was happy to discover that the car was still under warranty for the particular repair needed. It did not cost her an arm and a leg to fix it. In fact, it cost her nothing! Then the car dealership threw in a free complete tune up. So what she had dreaded did not come to fruition. In fact, not only did she get her car fixed with no cost to her, she got the bonus of a free oil change. What a relief! What a surprise! All those months of worry for nothing! If she had gone to the car dealership earlier, she would have known the truth and would not have worried needlessly about the potential cost of the car repair.
Many times I tend to expect the worst out of life because of my past experiences.
Many times I tend to expect the worst out of life because of my past experiences. I don’t always anticipate blessings because I may be disappointed. So I prepare for the worst or I procrastinate dealing with it at all so I don’t have to ponder an impossible predicament. But what typically happens is that I end up worrying or fretting about the potential problem rather than knowing or dealing with the truth of the situation.
I realize that not all situations turn out positively like Carol’s did. Sometimes knowing the truth is as painful as we had thought it might be. But to face our struggles head on allows us to deal with truth, not fears. It helps to set us free from the fears and to deal with the truth.
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7).
“Whatever is true…let your mind dwell on it.” (Philippians 4:8).
Jesus said, “I am the Truth!” (John 14:6)
Jesus said, “If you abide (live) in My word, … you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free…If the Son sets you free you will be truly free!” (John 8:31, 32, 36). The more intimately we know and trust Jesus and live according to His ways, knowing the Truth will give us a freedom in our spirit, not a fear.
Free from worry. Free from vain imaginings. Free from fear.
Free to live. Free to trust God. Free to hope.
Lord, I don’t want to live in bondage to my fears! Knowing You and trusting You is giving me the courage to face the truth…and to live freely! Truly the Truth is setting me free!
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FEATURED RESOURCE
How to Live Worry Free
by Kenneth Hagin, Jr.
In this book Rev. Kenneth Hagin Jr. Combines sound teaching from God's Word with practical insights to illustrate the perils of worry and to help guide the believer into God's safe haven of peace that passes all understanding. Rev. Hagin Jr. teaches that by practically applying God's Word to life's problems, you can live free from the bondage of worry and allow God to work in your life to turn around negative situations and circumstances. It is possible for you to live completely worry-free.
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