The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry. (Psalms 34:15)

The LORD is our protector. He is always watching over us, ever listening for our cries. When I was a young mother – many, many years ago, there were no baby monitors, no nanny cams to “stand watch” over my babies as they slept. The mothers of my generation slept with one ear open. We were pretty good at it too, in one fell swoop, we could be out of bed and next to the crib at the first whimper. But there was one night my radar failed. Somehow, my youngest maneuvered herself around and ended up with her head stuck between the crib railings. I don’t know how long she wailed before I heard her cries. Needless to say it was a scary experience and a source of much guilt for having missed her cries.

Not so with God. I love they way the Psalmist puts it – His eyes and ears are toward the cries of of His children. Always watching, ever ready to respond, to be at our side, to protect us from that which can harm us.

Some of you are hurting today. You’re dealing with some hard stuff. I encourage you, cry out to the LORD. He is watching over you, His ear bent toward you, and He will run to you.

I first published this devotion in 2018. (Some minor edits have been made). As the chaos of life seems to be growing greater by the day, I thought this would be a good time to drag it out and dust it off. To remind myself that now, as then, God is in control even when the world is out of control. I hope these reminders will bless your day.

Life is really busy for me right now. It is not so much my own activities, although that is part of it. What I am really struggling with is more emotional busyness because of everything that is going on around me. Changes – lots of changes. Some are exciting, happy changes, but some are not. It is the not-so-happy changes I am dealing with this morning. As I thought about my own trials, it occurred to me that, life being what it is, you are probably going through some tough times too, and that maybe we could talk about it.

Recently some things have come along that have the potential to change my life in profound ways. I’m talking life changes that are causing my heart to be heavy. Situations that are unsettling and downright scary. I am talking about circumstances that cause my mind to go immediately to what if…?

There is no need to give you the details, that’s not really important right now – you have your own “what if…” details to deal with. What is important, is how you and I are going to get through these not-so-happy life events without completely losing it!

If you’re interested, I would like to talk to you about how we can change our “what if….?” to “Whatever!” Just so you know, what I am sharing is not from some clinical perspective; it comes from my own right now experience. Ready?

First pray. We have a promise in James 4:8 that says if we will draw near to God, He will draw near to us. Now, this is where I would normally tell you to give it to the Lord, to lay it down and leave it. That’s good counsel. Of course, when you’re stuck in the “what if…?” desert, it is not easy counsel to take. Our hearts just don’t always work that way do they? However, prayer is mandatory. So, even when we don’t feel like praying, we pray anyway. If we will just keep with it, peace will come.

do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

Practice. We’ve determined that we have to pray even when we don’t feel like it, right? Now we have to practice our faith, even when we don’t see it. In fact, the very definition of faith is believing what we can’t see (Hebrews 11:1).

How do we do that when we are in the “what if…?” For one thing, we replace our anxious thoughts with confident thoughts. No, “positive thinking” is not going to change the situation. Guess what? Negative thinking won’t either, but we don’t have a problem doing that do we? Besides, it’s not positive thinking I’m talking about here, it is “Whatever!” thinking.

whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (Philippians 4:8)

Pause. We need to take time to rest in Jesus, let Him comfort us. We listen to Him as He speaks to our hearts and our minds and our souls. He will you know. Through His written word, through creation, through the Holy Spirit (the Comforter). Jesus loves us. He knows our love language and He will speak to us in ways we can’t even imagine. What are the things that give joy to your soul? A Psalm, a child’s laughter, the quiet moments of dawn, a sunrise? Pause and listen for Jesus.

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)

PRAISE! We will have cause to rejoice. When we get rid of the “what if…?” and begin to trust God with the “Whatever!” something wonderful happens. We are filled with peace and even joy. Our hearts and minds become free and we suddenly notice that all that weight we’ve been lugging around is just gone! I can’t explain it, I just know that it happens.

When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Your consolations delight my soul. (Psalm 94:19)

Is everything hunky-dory with me. No, it is not. My mind slips, my thoughts wander back to “what if…?” (Even at this moment, my anxious thoughts are trying their best to sneak back in.) Jesus and I are still working on it. More importantly, Jesus is working FOR me. When those “what if…?” thoughts come, Jesus draws me back. His Spirit speaks to me. He reminds me, ever so tenderly, to pray, to practice, and to pause.

I praise God because in His word He has promised me that I can let go of the “what ifs…?” and trust Him with whatever.

But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. (2 Corinthians 4:7)

Let’s not kid ourselves.  There is nothing good in us other than what we receive from the Lord.  We are simply clay pots –

•breakable  •disposable  •replaceable

But, when the Lord fills us up with the treasure of His word, with the joy of our salvation, and the beauty of His love, we become a precious thing.  We become valuable and cherished.

Clay pots that God has filled with treasure.

• A light in the darkness.
  • The glory of Christ.
    • A worthy vessel of the Holy Spirit.

How lovely is that?

And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. [Philippians 4:19]

I’m a little worried about myself this morning. As I prepared to write in my journal just finding my pencil became a major project. I looked in the bottom of the bag where I keep my journaling “supplies” and while there I came across an eraser. Pretty sure that I would need it, I went ahead and took it out of the bag. I also removed my journal – I knew I would need that; and then I laid the bag to the side.

As I opened my journal and started to write, I realized there was a problem – the only instrument in my hand was a yellow eraser! This meant that another expedition through the bag was in my future. Eventually I found the pencil but admit there were flashes of doubt. For a moment, I thought this was going to be a blue pen kind of morning (a blue pen is my optional writing tool. Although not my favorite thing to write with, I have found that it does work better than a yellow eraser).

Life. sometimes we find what we need before we need it. Sometimes we have to ingnore what’s at hand and keep going until we find what we’re looking for. And sometimes, we have to write with a blue pen.

I wait for you more eagerly than a soldier on guard duty waits for the dawn. Yes, I wait more eagerly than a soldier on guard duty waits for the dawn.  Psalms 130:6

I don’t know what its like to be a soldier on guard duty but I do know what it’s like to be eager for the dawn; you probably do too. You know, the hours between midnight and 5:00 AM when you can’t sleep? You watch the clock. The seconds seem to tick slowly by one by one as you lie there waiting for the alarm to ring so you can get out of that bed.

I think one of the hardest things to do as a Christian is to wait on God.  Let’s face it, most of us live our lives in fast forward. When we call out to God we want Him to answer us – NOW.  Like the soldier on watch or our sleepless nights, we are eager for the dawn to come.

Have you ever had to wait on God ?

Have you ever…

• Gone through a crisis with a friend?
• Sat by the bed of a sick child?
• Had more bills than money?
• Prayed for a loved one to come to Christ?

I am weary with my crying out; my throat is parched. My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God. (Psalms 69:3)

Have you felt like the dawn was never going to come? The darkness lingered so long that your mind and body wanted to give up and you didn’t know how you could make one more day? And still, God said “wait”.

But when I hoped for good, evil came, and when I waited for light, darkness came. (Job 30:26)

These are the times when the only thing left to do is cry out to God – “I surrender this to You”.  “Please, LORD, take this from me”.  “LORD, I can’t do this”.

“  Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:6-7)

Then suddenly, miraculously, even unexpectedly, the dawn breaks. The new day comes. The light shines through the darkness.

Even if…

• Your friend is still in crisis
• Your child is still sick
• There is still not enough money
• Your loved one is still lost

…you can have hope because you’ve put your trust in the One who is able.

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:28-29)

Waiting is hard. I won’t pretend it’s easy to wait on God, we all know that it’s not.  Sometimes the wait seems to go on so long that we begin to wonder if God has forgotten us.  He hasn’t.  God’s love, grace and mercy never fail.

Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the LORD is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him. (Isaiah 30:18)

Testing is hard. When God says wait, when your faith is being tested, remember…

• God is ever-present (Deuteronomy 31:6)
• God is for you (Romans 8:31)
• God is love (1 John 4:16)
• God never fails (Lamentations 3:22)
• In Him is yes and amen (2 Corinthians 1:20)

Trusting is hard.  When we’re down in a valley, and all we can see are mountains that we can’t climb, all we want is out. God sees beyond the mountain. He sees eternity – past, present, and future.  God knows what he’s doing.

Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:28-31)

Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. (Psalms 143:8)

• “Tell me you love me”.

• “Show me I can trust you”.

• “Tell me what I should do”.

Simple requests aren’t they? How often we look to others to meet these very basic needs of the human heart. But, more often than not, people fail us.

God never fails.

We can love Him and be loved by Him, without fear that He will ever take His love from us. God’s love is strong, enduring and patient. God’s love is perfect. God’s love is Agape – without condition. We can put our trust in Him with confidence that He will never betray that trust. We can trust Him with our deepest thoughts and our greatest fears. We can trust Him with our hopes, our cares, even our eternal souls. We can seek His counsel with the assurance that He will lead us in the right way. When our world is dark, His word is light. When things are uncertain, His word is sure. When we are surrounded by the noise of empty words and false promises, His word is truth. Lift up your soul to Him, surrender your everything to Him, He will meet all your needs.

She opens her mouth in wisdom, And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. (Proverbs 31:26)

“All we can take with us to heaven is what we leave behind in the lives we touch.”

Barbara Johnson

As we end this month of quotes from Barbara Johnson, I trust that you have been blessed as much as I have by the words she has left for us.

One of my favorite women authors is Barbara Johnson. She was a woman with an amazing testimony of trials. She strived to not just endure her trials but to find joy in spite of her trials and, through her writings, to help others do the same. As a matter of fact, she was an inspiration for my own book “Choose Joy”. If you’re not familiar with Barbara’s story, I encourage you read it; I promise you will be encouraged by it.

Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all transgressions. (Proverbs 10:12)

And Jesus answered saying to them, “Have faith in God”. (Mark 11:22)

There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven– (Ecclesiastes 3:1)