But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:33-34 HCSB)

Do you worry a lot? I try not to. I don’t really think of myself as a worrier. There are certain things, I find, I worry about more than others, though. I think we all do.

I mostly worry about things that could happen to my two boys even though they are teenagers. I worry about things like their safety. For example, when they walk down to the end of the street to catch the bus, what if a crazy person forces them into their vehicle? I realize they can take care of themselves. They know what to do in that situation because we have talked about it. Some part of me realizes that I might not be able to stop that from happening even if I was there.

I worry that they are not doing their best in school. I know I won’t be able to pay for college and they need to make good grades. They are both very smart and have talents that could take them where they want to go. They don’t want to listen to “Mama” anymore and it makes it hard to encourage them to do their best. I have to remind myself that they are at an age where they have to make their own decisions and mistakes.

There is something else I find myself dwelling on. I wouldn’t call it a worry, but, if I’m dwelling on it, maybe it is. My husband and I are really close to paying off our mortgage. For a while, we were able to pay an extra house note because of overtime. Overtime has stopped and we are barely making ends meet. I really want the mortgage paid off, but there is no money to put extra in the payments. I find it very frustrating.

In 1 Kings 17:8-15, there is a story about a widow who only had enough flour and oil to make bread for herself and her son. Apparently it was all the food she had. She made the decision to go ahead and make the bread. After that, she expected to die of starvation along with her son. Evidently, this was something she felt God telling her to do whether she realized it or not. Not the dying part, but the making bread with the last of her flour and oil.

God told the prophet, Elijah, to go to Zarephath. He said, “Look I have commanded a woman who is a widow to provide for you there.” (1 Kings 17:9b HCSB) When he arrived at the city, he saw the woman and asked for a cup of water and some bread. She explained her predicament, but Elijah told her to go and do what she was planning, but first bring him some bread. He explained what the Lord said, “The flour jar will not become empty and the oil jug will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the surface of the land.” (1 Kings 17:14 HCSB)

She went home and did what Elijah said to do. The Bible says her household ate for many days. The flour jar and oil jug didn’t run out.

Unlike the widow and her son, I don’t find myself in such a desperate situation that I don’t have money to buy food each week. But, when I think about our mortgage, I find myself asking God to let us pay it off early. Yet, I trust that He will take care of us regardless. I remind myself of the many scriptures that tell of God’s promises.

When I find myself worrying about my kids’ safety, I pray. I ask God to protect them. Sometimes, I even go so far as to ask Him to send Angels to surround them. When I look at their grades and don’t think they are doing their best, I have to ask God what I should do to get them back on the right track. I pray, often, that he will make them into the people he wants them to be in spite of themselves or myself.

 

Lord, thank You for protecting my family and me. Thank You for taking care of all our needs. Continue to remind me to not worry about things I have no control over. I ask only that your will be done in the situations I find myself in.

When I find myself worrying about my kids’ safety, I pray. Tweet This.

“The flour jar will not become empty and the oil jug will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the surface of the land.” (1 Kings 17:14 HCSB) Tweet This.

What worry have you learned to turn over to God? Do you find yourself repeatedly turning it over to Him?