Thankful Thursday:

“To despair,” said Marilla. “Is to turn your back on God.”

I don’t know who wrote those words that appeared in the Kevin Sullivan movie “Anne of Green Gables”, but they were certainly apt.

Their corollary, I think, is that “to worry is to turn your eyes from God.”

This week I’m thankful…

…for a sermon that clearly identified sin
On Sunday, Pastor John Kiningham gave a wonderful message on pride from I Peter 5. One of his points was how verse 7 correlates with the previous verses. “Casting all your cares on him.” We cast our cares because we realize that we can’t handle them, but that God can. When we worry, we are walking in self-reliance, which ultimately amounts to pride.

…for opportunity to encourage my sisters to cast their cares on Christ
John encouraged us to exhort one another to cast our cares on Christ. I was privileged this week to have opportunity to do so.

…for the Holy Spirit bringing truth to my remembrance
I disappointed myself this week. I didn’t say what I wanted to say, didn’t act the way I wanted to act. I was worried about the outcome, worried I’d botched something I really didn’t want to botch. I was starting to stew in anxiety.

But then the Holy Spirit brought the sermon back to the front of my mind. God’s word began to penetrate my heart.

Worry is pride.

When the God of the universe stands before me, holds the galaxies and myself in the palm of His hand, when He works all things according to the counsel of His will, to worry is to turn my eyes from God to myself.

How prideful am I, to think that my failure to speak can destroy God’s plan! How full of myself to think that my foolish words can topple His holy purposes!

My worry is foolish, is sinful, is proud. It is shutting my eyes, stopping my ears, and acting like God isn’t sovereign.

Thank you, Lord, for reminding me of truth. Whatever I said or did not say does not alter Your plan. My best and my worst are both laid bare in Your master plan. You know and you lovingly designed every moment of my life, even the moments when I feel foolish or stupid or unloving. And in Your sovereignty, You ordain good from it all.

Thank You, thank You, Lord. I choose to humble myself before You and cast my cares on You.