Defeating Fear

Tuesday is my favorite day of the week because I get to sing with my friends in choir. I used to mentally divide my whole week into days that were Tuesday and days that weren’t. The non-Tuesdays only served to get me to Tuesday. I was on mental pause for 86 percent of my week because I was centered on the Tuesday ahead. While looking forward to something isn’t a sin, my fixation on Tuesdays caused me to forget that the other days also had value and purpose.

All my life, I have obsessively anticipated things—holidays, parties, the next meal, everything! Life was only meaningful when it was eventful. The worst part was, I would be so focused on something, I didn’t know what to do with myself once it was over—or worse, canceled! So I just focused on the next upcoming thing instead of being mentally present. But once God helped me realize what I was doing, I prayed and took steps to change my focus. While I still enjoy Tuesdays, I no longer block out the rest of the week. Now, every morning, I take a moment to connect with God and center myself on Him by praying, “Today is a beautiful day because it is Your day, and it’s going to make me more like You.â€

Perhaps you struggle with something similar. Maybe you’re anxious about your future or long for past times. But this season of your life, however difficult or drawn-out, has purpose. Because you, a being intentionally designed by God to glorify Him, have purpose. God is shaping you now to become more like Jesus. He might even be growing your patience and trust in Him while you wait for the next thing! This season of your life will pass. Ultimately, this life and all its brokenness will fade away. As Christians, we know this world is a shadow of what it will be when Jesus returns and brings Heaven with Him. Now that’s something to look forward to! In the meantime, we can rest in knowing that He is with us in each moment. • Lizzie Joy

• Do you ever find it difficult to focus on the present? What helps you in moments like these?

• Have you felt like this time of your life doesn’t have purpose? What does God say?

• How can Jesus’s promise of eternal life with Him help us focus on living with Him today?

This is the day the Lord has made; let’s rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24 (CSB)

Read Verses:

Josh.1.9|2Kgs.6.8-2Kgs.6.23|Ps.34.4|Isa.41.10