God Is Able To Take Care Of Your Future

Reflect on God’s Word

According to the American Psychological Association, “Stress about money and finances appears to have a significant impact on Americans’ lives. Nearly three-quarters (72 percent) of adults report feeling stressed about money at least some of the time and nearly one-quarter say that they experience extreme stress about money (22 percent rate their stress about money during the past month as an 8, 9 or 10 on a 10-point scale). In some cases, people are even putting their health care needs on hold because of financial concerns.”^*

Everyday life can bring anxiety about finances, and advancing years can increase that if you fear you won’t have enough to live on after you retire. Maybe you were really good about creating retirement savings when you were younger, but there can be lingering fears that your situation will require resources you don’t feel you have.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus spoke to the crowds about not laying up treasures on earth or being afraid of what you will eat or drink or what you will wear. He wraps up that topic with this verse in Matthew 6:34: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Jesus was not being trite or brushing off the people’s concerns when he spoke those words. It was a true statement he wanted his listeners to hear. He will take care of your tomorrows. It’s a promise.

Isaiah 41:10 (ESV) says, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Some days it’s a moment-by-moment decision to put your fears into the hands of the Lord. And that’s okay. He’s always there by your side. But he does not want you to worry. He really will take care of you, even if you can’t see how. We often try to figure out how God might work things out, but God is not constrained by our finite minds. Give God permission to surprise you with his answers to your prayers.

This story is told about nineteenth-century missionary George Müller, who served as a coordinator of orphanages in Bristol, England:

One morning, all the plates and cups and bowls on the table were empty. There was no food in the larder and no money to buy food. The children were standing, waiting for their morning meal, when Müller said, “Children, you know we must be in time for school.” Then lifting up his hands he prayed, “Dear Father, we thank Thee for what Thou art going to give us to eat.”

There was a knock at the door. The baker stood there, and said, “Mr. Müller, I couldn’t sleep last night. Somehow I felt you didn’t have bread for breakfast, and the Lord wanted me to send you some. So I got up at 2 a.m. and baked some fresh bread, and have brought it.”

Mr. Müller thanked the baker, and no sooner had he left, when there was a second knock at the door. It was the milkman. He announced that his milk cart had broken down right in front of the orphanage, and he would like to give the children his cans of fresh milk so he could empty his wagon and repair it.^*

Now, miracles like this don’t happen often, but there are stories upon stories of people who needed a specific amount of money, and an anonymous gift would show up in their mailbox. But sometimes, help comes from organizations specifically geared toward meeting the needs of those who find themselves in financial difficulty.

Let’s spend a little more time in Isaiah 41:17–20. These words were spoken to the nation of Israel, but God does not change, and so his words are true for you today.

“The poor and needy search for water,

but there is none;

their tongues are parched with thirst.

But I the LORD will answer them;

I, the God of Israel, will not

forsake them.

I will make rivers flow on barren heights,

and springs within the valleys.

I will turn the desert into pools of water,

and the parched ground into springs.

I will put in the desert

the cedar and the acacia, the myrtle and

the olive.

I will set junipers in the wasteland,

the fir and the cypress together,

so that people may see and know,

may consider and understand,

that the hand of the LORD has done this,

that the Holy One of Israel has created it.”

God is not hampered by your bank account. His provision for you will be perfect.

Release Your Everyday Concerns

Take a deep breath. Hold your hands open to the Lord to show him you are willing to let go of your fear and trust him to provide.

Keep taking slow, deep breaths as you release your anxiety to the Lord. See only the face of the Lord as he tells you how much he loves you.

Feel the hands of God holding you up, staying with you, not letting you fall. Rest in that security for a few moments.

Can you trust God to provide in unexpected ways? There’s a silly tale about a man caught in a flood that might bring some of this home:

A fellow was stuck on his rooftop in a flood. He was praying to God for help. Soon a man in a rowboat came by and the fellow shouted to the man on the roof, “Jump in, I can save you.”

The stranded fellow shouted back, “No, it’s OK, I’m praying to God and he is going to save me.” So the rowboat went on.

Then a motorboat came by. The fellow in the motorboat shouted, “Jump in, I can save you.”

To this the stranded man said, “No thanks, I’m praying to God and he is going to save me. I have faith.” So the motorboat went on.

Then a helicopter came by and the pilot shouted down, “Grab this rope and I will lift you to safety.”

To this the stranded man again replied, “No thanks, I’m praying to God and he is going to save me. I have faith.” So the helicopter reluctantly flew away.

Soon the water rose above the rooftop and the man drowned. He went to Heaven. He finally got his chance to discuss this whole situation with God, at which point he exclaimed, “I had faith in you but you didn’t save me, you let me drown. I don’t understand why!”

To this God replied, “I sent you a rowboat and a motorboat and a helicopter, what more did you expect?”^*

Has God been trying to send you rescue from your financial situation and you’ve missed it? You may not see something as a way out of your financial situation, but God sometimes makes a way that is unexpected or looks different from what you imagined.

Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you where you have not been trusting God to provide for you. Confess that to him and let his forgiveness and grace wash over you. He understands and he cares. He will not hold your sin against you. He lovingly wants to lead you to trust him completely.

Do you really believe that God will take care of you? Let the words of Jesus resonate: “Do not worry about tomorrow” (Matthew 6:34). Determine today to live one day at a time through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Lord God, I know in my mind that you will provide for me, but my heart sometimes needs help catching up. Today I give you my fears about my financial future. Help me look to your Word instead of the world for what is true about money. Help me trust you completely and not let the condition of my finances cause me to be anxious. Today has enough trouble of its own. Help me not to worry about what tomorrow will bring. I want to honor you in all things. Your words are true. I believe that you will provide for me. Help my unbelief. It’s in the name of Jesus that I pray, amen.

JOURNAL PROMPT: Write out what your fears for the future are. What about God’s character helps you to know that he will meet your needs?