Are you struggling with fear of the future? Is your world shaking right now because you are unsure of how you will make ends meet? No doubt, we live in a shaky world. But we can live in it with unshakeable faith and experience unimaginable peace, joy and contentment in the midst of it all.
Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe. —Hebrews 12:28
- Receiving – paralambanō (G3880) – to take into the mind
- Kingdom – basileia (G932) – Christ’s rule and reign in our hearts and lives; clothed with His power and dignity
- Cannot be shaken- asaleutos (G761) – unshaken, unmoved, not liable to overthrow and disorder, firm, stable, enduring.
Those circumstances in life that shake our world also serve to build our faith. They are opportunities for growth. Opportunities to grow deeper in our relationship with God and the training ground for learning to trust Him in even greater ways.
Hebrews 12:28 is a great reminder and encouragement to us. We are receiving a kingdom that cannot be moved, one that is firm and stable and secure. God is our Rock and Jesus Christ is the chief cornerstone of this foundation for our lives. We have to receive it as ours. We have to take up our places as daughters of the king and co-heirs with Christ.
What is shaking your world right now? What makes you fearful? In the last post we looked at the fear of vain imagining. We saw an example in scripture of those who allowed their vain imaginings to run wild and those who chose to trust God in the midst of their fear. Let’s wrap up today by looking at another example of situations that cause us to be fearful: concern for provision and the future.
Read: 1 Kings 17:1-16 and answer the following questions:
- How does our story in this passage open? What is happening in the land?
- How does Elijah receive his instruction and what is the instruction?
- What is the widow’s reaction to Elijah’s request?
- How does Elijah respond to her in verse 13?
- What is the outcome of the widow’s trust and obedience?
There is a famine in the land. Elijah the prophet is given instruction by the Lord to go to the city of Zarephath where He has commanded a widow to feed Elijah. The widow reacts as expected —how I can feed you when I only have enough flour and oil to make a loaf for my son and I, and then we will die. In verse 13 we see Elijah tells her not to fear but to make a cake for herself and son as planned but to make one for him also. He state the jar will not run empty until the day the Lord brings rain. But she obeys Elijah’s instructions and we see the outcome of her trust and obedience is that the jar does not run empty for many days. There is enough for the widow, her son and Elijah!
What is God’s promise to us concerning provision for our lives?
Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air:they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow:they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘ What shall we eat? ’ or ‘ What shall we drink? ’ or ‘ What shall we wear? ’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. —Matthew 6:25-33
And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. —Philippians 4:19
Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say,“The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me? —Hebrews 13:5-6
We can rest secure knowing that our God will provide for our needs! Our part is to seek Him first! Trust him to meet your needs and lay your fears and concerns at His feet.
When your world is shaking and fear is threatening to take control remember that you can walk with unshakeable faith. When you need encouragement, get on your knees and go to the Word. The Lord will strengthen and encourage you!
Here are some verses to get your started:
- Psalm 23:4-6
- Psalm 34:4
- Psalm 56:3-4, 10-11
- Psalm 73:24-26
- Psalm 118:6
- Isaiah 43:1-3
- John 14:27
- John 16:33
- Hebrews 13:8
- Revelation 1:8
Walk today in unshakeable faith: I will remember moment by moment that Christ rules in my heart and over my circumstances. My world may be shaking, but I am standing on the rock of His power and protection!
Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations. —Deuteronomy 7:9
©2014 Susan Cady, susancady.com
These are beautiful! Thank you for taking the time to share this and for being as persistent in the spirit as you are.