Recently, I was sitting with an elderly lady who got very sick with cancer and died. Not only did I lose a sweet friend whom I had come to love dearly, but now I also lost my job. Since her death, I have been scrambling to find a new job and to figure out how to make ends meet. I have found myself praying to God, telling Him about “all the things I need.”
“Lord,” I say to Him, “I need money to pay the rent. I need food. I need to buy cat food. I need gas money to go to church and to hunt for a job. I need money to pay the rent. Oh, and Lord, I also need to buy some toilet paper. “
I am telling Him about “all these things” like He doesn’t already know it.
Then, this morning, I read the same scripture I have been reading every morning the first past few months:
“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat? or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentile seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”—Matthew 6:31-33
Even though I have read these particular verses hundreds of times over the years, today was the first day that I realized that the phrase “all these things” is used three times. I felt like today, Jesus was speaking these verses right to my heart, like He was saying, “Karen, don’t worry about all these things. Your heavenly Father, knows you need all these things. Just you focus on serving Him and His kingdom first, and He will provide you with all these things.”
Well, okay, then Lord Jesus. Today, I am not going to worry about all these things. Instead, I am going to focus on serving you and your kingdom by writing for you and trying to honor you and showing your love and light to others. And somehow, someway, You will provide me with all these things.
And what He is saying to me, He is saying to you also, dear reader. God knows all these things that you need as well. Make up your mind today that you are going to change your focus from worrying to trusting and serving Him, and then watch and see how He adds all these things to you.
Blessings to you!
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