Tag: trust

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on Not Borrowing Trouble

Sometimes we feel unnecessary stress and angst because we borrow trouble.

I do that way too often.

I did it at the writers conference earlier this week. On Monday night I started to worry because my flight was leaving at 4:05 on Tuesday and I was planning to ride a shuttle to the airport at 2:00.

My brain started to spin: What if the traffic is really heavy? What if someone is late getting to the shuttle? What if I have to sprint through the airport? What if I’m the very last person to get on board the aircraft? What if I miss my flight altogether?

I was borrowing trouble.

I had no idea if any of those things would happen, but my brain started to hyper-focus on them and I got really nervous.

I tried to tell myself it would all work out, even if I missed my flight, and I was finally able to enjoy the rest of my evening.

The next day, it was interesting to see how my mood was influenced by other people’s ideas. My friends and I asked one of the directors of the conference if she thought we would make it okay (my friends had an earlier flight and weren’t sure if they were allowing enough time for the Lyft they had scheduled).

“Oh sure, no problem!” she assured all of us. We breathed a sigh of relief and felt better.

Then at lunch I was telling someone my schedule and she got a worried look on her face. And just like that I was back to borrowing trouble. What if? What if? What if?

It all worked out. Everyone got to the shuttle early. We made it to the airport by a little after 2:30 and I had plenty of time to go through security and wait to board. I had worried for nothing.

Sure, there are those times where our worst fears really happen, but we can deal with those things then. There’s no reason to borrow trouble and get all worked up today about the possible mishaps of tomorrow.

As we spend time reading the Bible and talking to God, we’ll learn to trust the Lord. He’ll help us handle each day’s problems.

We may even feel some peace and joy when we decide to stop borrowing trouble.

“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 6:33–34 NIV)

Do you tend to borrow trouble? How can focusing on God help you to trust him to help you through the challenges of each day and not worry about the future?

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on What to Do When We’re Afraid

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise—in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” (Psalm 56:3-4 NIV)

Are you ever afraid?

I’m not just talking about the shock of adrenaline you get when you see a snake or a spider in a place you didn’t expect. Yes, there’s some fear there (for some people more than others), but I’m asking about something deeper.

Do you ever feel afraid down to the core of your soul about some threat to your physical, emotional, or spiritual well-being?

Maybe the doctor has some bad news for you, or you’re worried about what someone thinks of you, or you did something sinful and you’re afraid you’ll never be the same again.

If you’re human, you will be afraid from time to time. The psalmist David says it in Psalm 56:3. “When I am afraid.” Not “if” I am afraid. “When” I am afraid. That means it’s inevitable for the rest of us, too.

It’s not just during a pandemic that we’ll be afraid. That situation has come and it will go, but the things that make us afraid will persist in our lives, paralyzing us if we don’t know how to handle them.

David shows us what to do: “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.”

Can we do that? It’s not something that happens automatically. It’s a choice we have to make. The fear wells up inside, and we have to say, “God, I trust you. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I trust you.”

When we do that, the fear goes away. We still don’t know the outcome of the situation, but we can face it without fear.

I think it’s interesting that David writes those thoughts in two ways: “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you” and then “in God I trust and am not afraid.” Afraid, trust, not afraid.

We will have to repeat that cycle over and over as we go through all of the trials that come up in life. That’s okay. As long as we don’t get stuck in the “afraid” phase of the sequence, we’ll keep moving forward in faith.

If we use this time during the pandemic to practice, maybe it will be a little easier to live in trust instead of fear once life gets back to “normal.”

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise—in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” (Psalm 56:3-4 NIV)

What are you afraid of? How can focusing on God help you to choose to trust Him and not be afraid?

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Super Saturday: Let’s Focus on Something Other Than the Coronavirus

Wow. I haven’t had a Super Saturday post in a long time. I blame the coronavirus.

Oh, don’t worry. I don’t have it, but I have been dealing with the stress of bouncing from thinking “it’s not a big deal” to the extreme of “we’re all going to die.” I’ve been listening to the news and reading most of the posts people are putting on their Facebook feeds.

On Friday we found out that our son’s college is sending everyone home by Wednesday and they’ll complete the school year with online classes. (Just when we were getting used to the empty nest!)

I’m not going to recap the situation or speculate about all that is happening around the world in regards to this pandemic. I’m sure most of you have heard more than enough about all of this.

Instead, I want us to take some time to focus on something other than the coronavirus.

When fear wants to control our thoughts and actions, let’s focus instead on the fact that God has everything under control and we can move ahead with confidence–no matter what happens.

When Satan whispers that everything is meaningless, let’s focus instead on all that is still right and beautiful and good in this big, wide world.

When anxiety tries to hold us hostage and keep us from getting things done, let’s focus instead on the peace we can choose (over and over again) and the confidence we can gain as we do things in spite of feeling anxious.

When we’re tempted to sit all alone and worry, let’s focus instead on who we can reach out to and encourage. We can do that through a phone call, a handwritten card or letter (remember those?), or even a timely Facebook post.

When it feels like everything is falling apart, let’s focus instead on how God keeps everything together. We may not understand it all right now, but we can trust Him and move forward in faith.

There’s so much more to focus on than . . . wait – what was that thing we were so worried about?

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together [except during the coronavirus pandemic], as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:23-25 NIV – brackets mine)

Are you dealing with extra stress during these uncertain times? How can focusing on God help you to keep living well each day – in spite of the questions you may have?

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Focus Friday: Let’s Focus on What’s Behind You

Have you ever looked across the room to see someone smiling and waving at you, but you had no idea who they were?

You tentatively raise your hand to wave, but then you realize they’re actually waving at someone behind you. Oops. You drop your hand and try to act cool, hoping they didn’t see you.

Once Gary and I went back to one of our previous churches for an anniversary celebration. There was a get-together at the community center. We mingled and reconnected. Then, I saw an old friend. She got this big huge smile on her face and looked at me like “There you are! I haven’t seen you for such a long time!” Her arms opened for a hug. I smiled and walked over, got my hug, and talked to her for a minute. Then I realized she was actually after a hug from a man standing a little behind me who had been ill and was finally feeling well enough to get out and see people. How embarrassing!

Things like that have happened to me often enough that I usually assume someone is not waving at me. I tend to look over my shoulder to see who they’re actually trying to greet.

That’s what happened last night when I went to Baker Book House in Grand Rapids, Michigan for an author event prior to the Breathe Christian Writers Conference I’m attending this weekend. After I parked, I noticed two women almost at the front doors. One of them raised her arm and pointed in my direction for a second. I squinted and tried to figure out if it was someone I knew. I didn’t think so. So, I glanced back over my shoulder to see who they may be greeting instead.

Imagine my shock when I saw a big old raccoon waddling across the parking lot. He really wasn’t very far from me at all! I walked faster and pulled out my camera to document the attack. Just kidding. He actually went behind some cars and I had to wait til he came back out of hiding before I could get the picture in this week’s graphic.

It got me thinking about what’s behind us and how people point it out.

Of course, when people see someone they know behind us, they’re going to wave at them and smile. We can’t fault them for that and be upset because we thought they were waving at us.

On the other hand, I was almost miffed because those two ladies just pointed vaguely at the raccoon behind me instead of yelling, “Run! There’s a rabid raccoon right behind you!” (He probably wasn’t rabid, but it was a little freaky to see one out at that time of day.)

I started thinking about how God sees us.

He’s always looking right at us, with arms wide open and a look on His face that says He’s thrilled to see us. We never have to worry that He’s actually looking at someone else.

If there is danger behind us, He will consistently point it out. Not a casual, quick gesture that leaves us wondering what He’s pointing at, but a clear, urgent message to warn us (whether we heed that warning or not).

We don’t have to be confused or afraid of what’s behind us, so I guess this week’s title should actually be “Let’s Not Focus on What’s Behind Us.”

Let’s focus on what’s before us, keeping the LORD always in our view. Let’s go where He wants us to go, do what He wants us to do, and trust Him in the midst of whatever happens to us. (Even rabid raccoon attacks.)

“Surely the righteous will never be shaken; they will be remembered forever. They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the LORD.” (Psalm 112:6-7 NIV)

Do you ever get stressed out about what’s behind you? How can focusing on God help you to look ahead and trust Him instead?