Chatting with Jesus
Friday, September 9, 2022
Lord, I would have fit in nicely with the Philippian believers. Although they were Christ-followers, they remained imperfect, stumbling in their walk of faith, much like I do daily. Their plights, much like ours, left them anxious. Persecution, societal breakdowns, eroding freedoms, ostracized, mischaracterized as hateful and bigoted, much like believers encounter today. Paul identified and addressed the root of their anxiousness. The conflict was, and has always been, between our human “me” and our spiritual “me.”
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace . . . “ — Philippians 4:6, 7)
Watching the doom and gloom news, listening to talk radio hosts go on and on about our impending ruin, rising social media craziness—no wonder my human “me” is quick to put on my worry cap. That’s when the devil’s “what if” and “If only” games begin. The doubts and fears turn the butterflies in my stomach into a swarm of bubble bees. However, by the faithfulness of the Holy Spirit, You set my spiritual “me” straight. “Enough of this nonsense! Why don’t you pray like I told you to do? You think I don’t know what’s happening down there?”
Lord, reading Isaiah’s prophecies is like reading today’s newspaper. Thankfully, we can trust what You say:
“Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish”—Isaiah 46:10
Help my spiritual “me” remain alert, but not alarmed. We trust You have this mess down here under control, Lord. Amen.
THANKFUL 
Leave a Reply