Joshua 1:9
I’ve commanded you to be strong and
brave. Don’t ever be afraid or discouraged! I am the Lord your God, and I
will be there to help you wherever you go.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Last
Christmas, I found a recipe for Cashew Brittle…a salty/sweet concoction
of caramelized sugar and cashews. I made several batches and shared
with friends and family…but I have to say, I ate my fair share! I
wasn’t even a fan of cashews…until they were combined with this crunchy
sweetness. Then I could NOT stay away from the candy jar. I knew that I
should pace myself…that I needed to exercise will power and resolve and
stay away from that delicious concoction. Hey, I knew better than to
make it in the first place! But I simply could not control myself…or
maybe I allowed myself to be controlled by the thought – and taste – of
that delicious treat. If you have ever said to yourself or someone
else, “I won’t rest until I’ve eaten the whole thing!”…you know exactly
what I mean.
We do this very thing with our worries and fears. We say
we are going to give them to God. And sometimes, we do let God handle
these things – for a little while. But in the back of our mind, the
devil is saying, “You better pick those back up and fiddle with them for
a while longer. What if this? What about that? You should be
concerned!” Essentially, we are encouraged to return to the “Worry
Candy Jar” - and keep going back as the “weight” of our troubles mounts.
This
scripture from Joshua is incredibly powerful and profound. In these
words, we pretty well have a sum total of what it means to live and
breathe in Christian faith. We have the perfect recipe for how to walk
in peace and confidence with God. “…be strong and brave. Don’t
ever be afraid or discouraged! I am the Lord your God, and I will be
there to help you wherever you go.”
Today, let’s make a
concerted effort to “let go and let God” – in every situation. Let God
handle your worries and fears. Let God heal you and give you peace.
Let God comfort you in grief and encourage you in challenges and
stressful situations. Let God be God and do the heavy lifting.
Be strong and brave – and confident that He is in complete and perfect
control. And stay away from that “candy jar” of worries and lies from
the devil.
I cannot promise that I won’t make Cashew Brittle
this year…or something equally delectable and tempting. But I am
trusting God to give me strength and will power to manage even this
enticement in my life. With God, ALL things are possible…even the
ability to “just say no!” during the holidays! Are you ready to let Him
have complete control of your worries, fears and temptations? Don’t
you think it’s time you were?
©2015 Debbie Robus
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