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Years ago, I was a single mom with two young kids. I had a part-time teaching job and about twice as many bills as dollars to pay them. I worried constantly about money. I struggled to trust God to take care of my children and me and could not cultivate peace in any area of my life.
Then things got even worse.
The grocery store declined my debit card. I knew I had enough money to cover the charge, so I went to the bank to figure out what happened. The very sympathetic teller informed me that the state of Indiana had frozen my bank account because of unpaid taxes. Even if I had the money to pay the taxes—which I didn’t—my account would be frozen for weeks. My paycheck had been deposited that morning, and now, I had no access to it.
Letting God Cultivate Peace
I had no access to my money, very little food at home, and two young kids to feed. I was frantic. Somehow, we made it through until I was granted access to my account again. It wasn’t easy or fun, but the kids and I never went hungry. My neighbor invited us for dinner several times. A friend brought over some groceries. I even found a coupon for a free pizza in a parking lot. God had provided for us, but I didn’t see it.
The day my account was unfrozen, I went to the grocery store and bought dozens of canned goods, boxes and boxes of spaghetti noodles, and other nonperishable food. I thought the way to cultivate peace was to ensure that I could take care of my little family. That if something like that ever happened again, I could provide for my kids.
I thought that stockpile of food would bring me security, but it didn’t. Gradually, I saw the ways that God had taken care of us and decided that trusting Him was far safer than trusting myself. It wasn’t easy, but as I began to rely on Him, I felt more peaceful.
Trusting God for everything is an ongoing struggle for most Christians. What steps can we take to trust Him and cultivate peace more often in our lives?
Reflect on His faithfulness
“I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears” (Psalm 34:4, NIV).
Think about a challenging time in your past. Now think about how God was present with you during that time. How did He help you? What prayers did He answer? Did He send other believers to help and comfort you? Remembering how God was faithful to you in the past will help you trust Him so you can worry less and cultivate peace in your present life.
When You Start to Worry, Stop and Pray
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7, NIV).
It can be hard to stop a cycle of worry, but when you focus on God and His great love for you, your problems will become smaller. When you ask God for His help, you can lay your concerns at His feet and rest, knowing He will take care of you. When you find yourself worrying, close your eyes and picture yourself laying your troubles at God’s feet. Then rest in His arms and feel the peace that His presence brings.
Live Life One Day a Time
“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:34, NIV).
God will be with you in each day. He will walk through the good and the bad things that happen to you each day. He’s always there with you, ready to help. Focus on today and let God worry about tomorrow. You don’t need to rush ahead and stew over what will happen to you tomorrow. You can trust God not to go anywhere. He will be there for every tomorrow until He calls you home. Cultivate peace by taking life one day at a time and putting your tomorrows in God’s hands.
Listen now to a short segment of an Abide meditation based on Matthew 6:34. Let God speak to your heart about how to cultivate peace by living a worry-free life.
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Diane is a wife, the mother of five, and a writer. She writes about the important things in life: her family and her faith.
