There are times when it seems that the world around me has gone crazy. God seems far away, and difficulties threaten to overwhelm me. There are some verses which give me comfort and peace.
“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength, he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights.” Habakkuk 3:17-19 (NIV)
I can’t even imagine the disaster described in Habakkuk’s prayer above. Imagine having no way to provide sustenance for yourself, or nothing to sell to meet your needs.
I have seen God provide in so many ways I can not even count them all. When we were young, I was teaching in a very small school district making only the minimum salary mandated by the state, and my husband was working for a brick yard. We lived paycheck-to-paycheck. We never went hungry and our children never went without the necessities. (Grandma provided a lot of extras for the girls.) When I had a week off of school and didn’t have to pay for childcare, the car would break down. It was a blessing to have the money to pay for car repairs. I have also seen unexpected checks come in the mail.
When I retired from teaching, I was concerned because my income would be greatly reduced. I felt God whispering to me that all would be fine. We have done well even with my lesser income. We’ve even had money available for some special things, like going to Walt Disney World with my older daughter, her husband, and her children. We also took a cruise to Alaska which was on my bucket list. We hope to go to Disney World next year with our youngest daughter and her family.
“So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your Heavenly Father knows that you need them. 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: 31-34. (NIV)
God provides for His children, and I’m humbly grateful. There is no peace like the peace you receive when you stop worrying and allow God to provide for you out of His abundance of grace and mercy.
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