by Doris Hoover
Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? (Luke 12:25 NIV) I know I can’t.
Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? (Luke 12:26) That’s a good question.
You’d think I’d learn, but at times, I still churn with worry. The Lord has to continually teach me the same lesson over and over.
God is always three steps ahead of me in His teaching. He knows how my mind works, so He teaches me lessons in advance. Then when my worry flares up, He reminds me of what He just taught me.
I write devotions, and I’ve learned that almost every devotional I write is first a lesson for me. I recently wrote about a tranquil sunset being God’s reminder that we can sleep without worry. The Creator of sunsets has the ability to attend to all the details of our concerns, so we can relax into a peaceful night’s rest.
Two nights after writing that message, I tossed and turned with anxiety until I recalled the devotion and the Scriptures about worry. The Lord had prepared that lesson in advance because He knew I’d need it.
My worries stemmed from a long-awaited prayer request. My husband and I had been searching for a small Class C motor coach. The kind we wanted was so scarce, that as soon as one appeared online, it sold immediately. We were giving up hope of ever finding one when God placed one in our path. It was parked directly across from our car in an event parking lot. We happened to be the first people to call about it. While we waited for the owner to arrive, several other people showed interest in it.
We didn’t have cash for a down payment. and it was Saturday of a holiday weekend. Banks wouldn’t open until Tuesday. We had to go to a local Publix supermarket and make four separate purchases in order to get enough cash back to seal the deal.
Then more complications arose. The seller was co-owner with her cousin, who was recently deceased. The seller couldn’t afford the loan payments on her own. But the title couldn’t be released until the loan was paid off. After consulting with numerous agencies, we realized the only way to move forward would be for us to pay the loan and wait until Motor Vehicle processed the clear title. That was the source of my anxiety.
But God was three steps ahead. Once we wired funds for the loan, our bank wrote a letter that DMV would accept. They gave us a temporary title which allowed us to take possession of the rig.
Not only was God three steps ahead in answering our prayers, He was three steps ahead in answering the seller’s prayer for financial relief. The transaction blessed both parties.
Are you worrying about a matter? I encourage you to trust God with your concerns. He is already three steps ahead.
Don’t worry about anything, but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God. (Philippians 4:6 GNT)
This article is brought to you by the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association (AWSA).
About the author: Doris Hoover lives in Florida, but she also spends time along the coast of Maine. Her passion is discovering God’s messages in nature and sharing them with others. You can visit Doris at captivatedbythecreator.com.
Doris’ book, Quiet Moments in The Villages, A Treasure Hunt Devotional invites you to step outside to discover the treasures God places around you. She leads you to beautiful places in her home town. Her poetic descriptions and beautiful photography draw you into moments that will stir your heart.
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