If you lead others or carry organizational responsibility, you find plenty of reasons to worry: meeting deadlines, financial pressures, and meeting quotas, to name a few.
These make your stomach churn and account for many sleepless nights. Jesus cautions us not to worry about anything, not even food or clothes.
He gives us six reasons* for trusting in God rather than worrying.
- The same God who gives us the greater gift of life will certainly supply the lesser gifts of food and clothing.
- The God who cares for birds will care for His people. After all, humans are of much greater value than any bird.
- Worry expends energy pointlessly. It doesn’t change the reality of the situation.
- Worry ignores God’s demonstrated faithfulness in our lives. Every blossoming flower is a reminder of God’s faithfulness to us.
- We are God’s children. God will never treat us as orphans who need to fend for ourselves.
- When we worry about tomorrow, we miss out on today. Any problem we face can be handled with God’s help, one day at a time.
As leaders who want to impact our generation for Christ, we need to lead in a way that allows others to see our faith in God. One way we can do that is by depending on God in the face of our daily pressures.
The next time you are under pressure, pray for the grace you need to depend on God, who is perfectly and eternally worthy of your trust. Remember that those you lead will see how you respond to such pressures and will follow your actions. Lead with courage.
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life. . . . Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” —Matthew 6:25a, 27, NIV
Prayer: Lord, give Your children courage and strength to face everyday obstacles as we carry out the responsibilities You have given us.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jemima Amanor is the Country Director of Compassion Ghana.
Read all the One in Spirit devotionals.
*Culled from The Leadership Bible (NIV), page 1122.