TUESDAY When things in life get hard, or confusing, or complicated, or disappointing, do you ever try to “fix” it? Or just “escape” and pretend everything’s just fine? These are normal human reactions, too, but most times they just make things worse! David of the Bible had lots of problems. He even had people who wanted to kill him. He didn’t always make right choices (who does?), but check out Psalm 5:1-8. When it came to dealing with difficulties, he had the right idea. When life got outta hand for David, he went to His God. And God wants you to do the same. Nothing is too small or insignificant to talk to Him about. He cares for you!
WEDNESDAY Disappointments, family problems, fear of the future, failures, heartbreaks, losses, school stresses.... How these things ever be good, we ask? As we read on Monday in Romans, God can (and will!) use the circumstances of your life to bring you into a closer relationship with Him. How? By helping you to learn to trust Him more. As you turn to God to help you through your difficult situations, acknowledging that you can’t “solve” them on your own, you allow Him to build your character and teach you things like courage, endurance, patience, humility, gratitude, things we can’t really learn when everything is going our way. God is there, and He teaches us to find confidence in Him for whatever life brings our way. Read James 1:2-4.
THURSDAY When it comes to the worries and concerns of life, we also need to remember that our troubles are never ALL about us. By taking our worries and concerns to God, we can help others to know Him, too, or even begin to trust Him in a deeper way. Are you willing to be that example that your family members and friends need to see? To trust God to use even your hard stuff for His honor and glory? Will the way you deal with your troubles and concerns, draw people toward your Lord or push them further away? To trust...or to worry? That is the question. Find the answer in Philippians 4:6-7.
FRIDAY We can turn to God with our worries and concerns, and He wants us to do that!! But He’s also placed people in your life that can encourage you when times get tough. Think about the people in your life. Is there someone — a parent, a Christian relative or friend, your pastor or youth leader — that you feel you can trust? Why not share your worries or concerns with them? Ask them to pray with you and for you. Check out Galatians 6:2!
SATURDAY When we feel worried or upset, it’s only natural to begin to feel sorry for ourselves and focus on “how bad” things seem to be. But through Christ, we can resist self pity and praise Him instead for all that’s good. Begin to thank Him for the things in your life that are good. Try to recall all the things in the past that He’s brought you through. As you focus on God’s goodness and His faithfulness to you in the past, your worries will begin to melt away! As Proverbs 14:26 tells us, God will remind you that He’s bigger than any problem you face. He’s got this!!