This is the season of exchange. We shed the year before and bask in the hope and possibilities of a brand new year. I personally, was very excited to turn the page on my physical planner to the fresh month of January and got a little thrill out of placing stickers and important dates in the clean, clear boxes.
Not only do we exchange the 2022 calendar for 2023. We also take a look at goals we want to accomplish in the new year. I would like to lose weight and to be even more active in 2023. I want to exchange my couch in the living room for my kayak in the creek. I yearn to spend hours reading in my hammock and to write every chance I get.
But what is the one thing I wish to exchange this year? Worry.
I want to exchange my worries for the peace that only God can bring.
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”
John 14:27
Already, this year I feel like I have a lot to worry about. My car’s transmission went out and my husband’s car, which I’m now driving, has an alternator that is on the way out. I worry about the state of my house and the clutter that is piling up and because I’m so stressed I feel almost catatonic.
Whew. But,
“The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.
Psalm 28:7
If God is protecting, loving, and holding me up surly I can exchange my needless, worthless worry and have true peace. I can already see his hand on my life with the blessings that I’ve experienced.
I’m going to list some of the blessings from the past 4 week,
God was with us, as he always was, when my car’s transmission went out. He was the one that prepared the way for us to not only get our car to an open dealership on December 23rd. But to have a rental car meant for us to continue our Christmas trip to my family.
I have amazing in-laws who are generously lending us a vehicle so my husband can get to work.
Thanks to the wisdom I’ve learned from Financial Peace University (Dave Ramsey) we had money budgeted that could be used to purchase an alternator.
God blessed us with friends who were willing to drop what they were doing and help Charles and me replace the broken alternator.
God is good!
This morning I pray that you can dwell on what God is doing in the background and give up the stress of needing to work out everything for yourself.
Bethany Thomas is the Publicity Coordinator and a contributing writer for Shaken & Stirred. She is a daughter of God, a wife, and a dog mom. When not writing for the blog, you are most likely to find her reading a fantasy novel or crafting at her home in Sapulpa, OK.