As someone who is dabbled in meteorology, I’ve always been fascinated by brewing storms in the distance. Sometimes these systems are unstable, breaking up before they reach your town. Yet, other storms intensify, catching residents off guard by its severity. When I take my eyes off of Jesus, my mind wanders and if I’m not careful, worry can and will take over quickly as another storm in life approaches.
But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do, James 1:6-8.
Since four of Jesus’ disciples were fisherman, the New Testament contains several references to water and waves. The passage above is from Jesus’ earthly brother. Perhaps this disbelief is a public confession as first century historians suggest that James didn’t believe that his brother was the promised Messiah until after Jesus’ resurrection on the first Easter Sunday. James’ words serve as a warning that when your mind wanders, worry can take over.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus, Philippians 4:6-7.
Up until recently, my motto was “control what you can control and let God take care of the rest.” Yet, as my confidence reaches an all-time low, I’m worrying about things that I rarely thought of in the past. As my confidence slides, my mind wonders “what’s going on and when will this bad streak end?” The apostle Paul gave advice to an anxious church in the passage above. The moment your thoughts wander out of control, pray immediately and spend time giving thanks to God for what you currently have.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 