My son wants to go back in time to about a year ago and he can’t understand why we can’t. I’ve tried explaining this abstract concept several different times, and I think he’s beginning to understand why I can’t make things the same way they were last year, but he still misses the way things were. He also wants to go visit his grandparents who live about nine hours away from us. When I explained that we can’t go and possibly expose them to the Corona Virus that we might pick up while travelling, he frowned and thought for a few seconds. He then told me there were no germs at his grandma’s house.
I’m sure we all have times in our lives we’d like to rewind to, and it’s nice to spend some time in our memories, but we can’t let a desire for things in the past take away from today’s joy. God has placed us where we are at this time for a reason. He is the Author and Finisher of our faith, the Great Physician, our Abba Father. The circumstances we’re in today might not be enjoyable; they may be downright hard, but God will provide what we need for today. His mercies are new every morning, His yoke is easy and His burden light. Give God the burdens your carrying, take the problems your trying to solve and lay them at His feet. He will give you peace and comfort. He has the answers.
I have more problems than I have solutions right now and, if you’re like me in this, the load gets so overwhelming sometimes. I try to give my problems and troubles to Him, but then I try to take them right back and do things myself. I find that, when I seek God first, my burdens seem lighter and more manageable. And they should with Almighty, All-Knowing God on my side. Remember what Matthew said in chapter 19 verse 26, “But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Luke said, “For with God nothing will be impossible,” in chapter one verse 37. I hold these verses close during times like these, along with Psalm 34:4, which says, “I sought the lord, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears.” I have a bookmark in my Bible that my mom made for me a few years ago, that I read every day. Isaiah 26:3 is cross-stitched on it, which says, “You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed upon You, because he trusts in You.” The word “stayed” in this verse means “fixed.” We are to fix our minds on God and not on our circumstances or the world around us. God alone can bring us peace.
My tip for today concerns helping my son keep his anxiety under control. I’ve learned that if he has too much time to think and dwell on his worries, his anxiety gets higher. This is so true with me, as well. So, I’m making it a point to keep him occupied during the day. When his anxiety is higher, he has trouble focusing, so I bring out activities for him to complete. I choose things that he’s already good at or has mastered. Fox example, putting a simple puzzle together, putting beads on a string, building anything with blocks or some other building type toys, playing with dough, playing Go-Fish, Eye Found It, or Candy Land. Any of these things can occupy him enough to keep his mind focused while providing a sense of accomplishment and feelings of success, and his anxiety level usually goes down enough so we can move on to other things.
I’ve already shared several verses today, but I want to leave you with a few more. Lamentations 3:22-24 says, “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: Great is Your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I hope in Him!”
Before I go, I want to leave with you with a couple more Bible verses found in Numbers 6:24-26.
“The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up his countenance upon you, And give you peace.”
Have a great week!