Curing Your Unbelief
by Shauna Wallace
“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matthew 6:34).
A few years back, I went through a season of debilitating fear about how we would take care of our family if the economy crashed and we lost everything. I pictured us living on the street, starving, while our children looked to us in desperation. I was convinced we needed to be ready: pay off the house, stockpile dehydrated food and build cash and silver reserves. It consumed my thoughts, caused great unrest inside of me and irritated my husband as I persistently insisted we had to do something! So he agreed to do a few things for emergency preparedness, but it wasn’t because he shared my concern; he just wanted to appease me so I would stop worrying (and shut up about it 😛).
The problem with my worry, though, wasn’t rooted in being prepared; the problem was…
…rooted in unbelief. And when the measures we took weren’t enough and there was always something else fear convinced me we needed to do, James finally confronted the fact that nothing would ever be enough for me, because being prepared wasn’t the answer to my problem. He was right. When we worry, no matter what the reason, there is a deeper root than what the concern appears to be: it is unbelief. And we’re probably trying to figure out how we can control the threat ourselves. If we believe Matthew 6:33 from yesterday – that when we seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, He will add to us everything we need – then verse 34 is the logical outcome: we don’t worry because we believe God. It seems simplistic, but it’s realistic in Christ because of who God is: a keeper of every promise. One of my favorite sayings is this: Don’t borrow from tomorrow; stay in today. He will give us this day our daily bread; we just have to ask, believe and trust.
INSPECT: What are you worrying about right now that is continually and relentlessly on your heart and turning in your thoughts?
MEDITATE: Think about the reality of today. In each moment of your day, set your heart and thoughts to that moment only. In that moment, who is in charge of the universe and what is it that He wants you to do that second? What do people in the Bible model for us about staying in today? Deliberate and talk about the importance of belief, faith, and trust when it comes to choosing to not worry.
PRAY: Lord, we confess our worry to You right now. Help us to see the unbelief at its root. Please expose any lies we are believing that are causing us to trust in something other than You, including ourselves and our own understanding. As the father in Mark 9:24 cried out to You, so do we: “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” Lord, You alone see all, know all and can do all things. When we try to play God, we miss out on the blessings that are ours when we trust You as God. We release our worry to You by staying in today. Holy Spirit, make us aware the minute our thoughts stray into tomorrow. Help us take them captive and remain present because trust is acquired in today. In the mighty name of Jesus, amen.
Today’s post was a sneak peek from “practicing SIMPLE prayer: a simple way to powerfully pray,” the companion 31-day devotional to Shauna’s SIMPLE Prayer binder. The devotional will be available in print at amazon.com in early 2019. To learn more, go to shaunawallace.com/simpleprayer.
Much love and many blessings,
Shauna
Women are drawn to Shauna’s teaching and Bible studies because of her in-depth yet conversational and practical approach to scripture’s truths as they apply to the nitty-gritty of daily life. The more she studies the Bible, the greater her grasp of God’s grace and love and the deeper her passion to see others experience the power and freedom of surrendering entirely to Him. She is a wife, mother and working woman who gladly and transparently connects with women wherever they are by sharing the good, bad and challenging of her life story, past, and present. Learn more at www.shaunawallace.com.
