I found myself worrying about finances yesterday.
I hate it when I do that. I certainly know better. God has always provided for everything we’ve ever needed – and so very much of what we’ve wanted too. Even after praying at length about our needs – and our daughter’s needs – just prior to our tax appointment, I still found myself feeling stressed.
What if we have to pay taxes this year?
What if our daughter has to pay when she’s trying so hard right now to save for a house? And what if we can’t help her with it?
God, please help my mind be at peace about all this, yet I feel so agitated.
It was an awful day.
And then our tax day came and went. It wasn’t the best day. But my worst fears – as always – weren’t realized. It then occurred to me that I did it again: I forgot that I was a loved child and started living like an orphan.
Why do we do that?
Why do we forget, at times, that we are loved with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3), purchased with a price (1 Corinthians 6:20) and sealed with the Holy Spirit who is a deposit of our inheritance until our possession of it (Ephesians 1:13-14 )? Why do we resort to living like an orphan as if we are on our own with no one to help us at all?
When you and I are trusting Christ alone for the forgiveness of our sins and for our eternal life, we have become His adopted children (John 1:12; Romans 8:14-17). And in that relationship as His child, you and I are not only extremely loved and cared for, but we have a new identity that does not include the corruption or chaos of our past, or the problems in our present, or the fears for our future.
So, why do we stress? Are we thinking God has forgotten me? Are we assuming He isn’t really a Good Father to His child?
Oswald Chambers, put it this way:
Fill your mind with the thought that God is there. And once your mind is truly filled with that thought, when you experience difficulties, it will be as easy as breathing for you to remember, “My heavenly Father knows all about this.” This will be no effort at all, but will be a natural thing for you when difficulties and uncertainties arise. Before you formed this concept of divine control so powerfully in your mind, you used to go from person to person seeking help, but now you go to God about it. Jesus is laying down the rules of conduct for those people who have His spirit, and it works on the following principle: God is my Father, He loves me, and I will never think of anything that He will forget, so why should I worry?
An orphaned child says: “I am all alone. I have no one to help me.” A child of God lives confidently the words: “My Father is with me. And He will help me.”
The more you and I reaffirm who we are in Christ, the more our behavior will reflect our true identity – a loved, well-cared for child of the Most High God.
Lord, forgive me for living like I’m an orphan and forgetting, even for a moment now and then, that You have loved me with an everlasting love and adopted me as Your own. Help me to live like a loved child of God, not a helpless orphan.
In what way have you lived like an orphan this week? (Or in what ways have you been reminded that you are much loved by the King? )I’d love to hear your response in the comment section below.
Cindi, this is such a timely message and like a good hug for those of us walking in the same footsteps now.
It is as our Blessed Lord teaches when he rebukes the wind, “Peace! Be still.” – Mark 4:39
So many of us now experience strange trials that threaten our temporal existence. As Christians we help each other, just like Daniel in the den of lions, to keep our focus on God, and not on the lions.
Amen?
XO
Amen, Sally! Thank you for that. Oh Lord, help us to be still and KNOW that you truly are God.
Dear Cindi,
Just now, I typed in “finances” here on your site and the Holy Spirit brought me right here!
Yes, we do feel orphaned when we take our eyes off of Jesus and forget His everlasting arms are underneath us, even carrying us through fiery financial trials!
Once again, three years since you first published this wonderful, thoughtful message that speaks to our fragile hearts, this is exactly the reminder needed to stay the course and trust in Him completely, now and forever!
Lord, thank You for Your everlasting Love!
Cindi, bless your heart for your loving, generous care, and messages!
Happy Spring!
You’re welcome, sweet Sally. Thank you for encouraging my heart that this message was helpful to you…even years after it was written. God is so timely and so intimately acquainted with our lives. 🙂
Hi Cindi! I was feeling very anxious about decisions I need to take in my marriage. After reaching out to my Mom about it, her reply was I’ve been praying for God to give you clarity for the best decision. I consider my Mom my best friend! And yes that was me before, going from one person to another for advice. I also needed to be reminded about my good Father who wants the best for me even when it doesn’t make sense. Love a worship song from Casting Crowns: “God of all my days.” The lyrics…..I came to you with my heart in pieces and found that God with healing in His hands😥. Even though I can run to my best friend, she doesn’t have the power like my Father does. This came at the right time for me to be reminded who I am. “My Father is with me, And He will help me.” Blessings to you and your family.
Thank you, Hayde, for sharing this with me and my readers. I’m glad you were encouraged through this that your Father is with you and He will help you. 🙂
I’ve had to deal with this this week. It was a job related issue. All day I have had to remind myself that He is taking care of the things that were said about me and not true. That I need to keep my mouth shut and let God take care of the situation. I did vent once or twice but I’ve honestly tried not to dwell on it. When I do, I just keep handing it back to Him. And I’ve had to do it more than once. I know it’s a test and I want to pass it and trust Him for all I need.
Oh, Michele, I’ve been there. And you know what? God was there, too, walking alongside me and watching my back. He will watch your back, too. As I was writing my book, Drama Free (and this is drama going on all around you right now), I learned a very important lesson. After telling us to set our minds on things above (not on the drama on this earth), Paul writes in Colossians 3:3: “For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” Hide in Him right now. When you are hiding in Him, you can’t say anything in your defense, because He’s handling your case. When you are hiding in Him you can’t worry about anything being said because He’s the One controlling it. When you are hiding in Him you are not listening or being aware of anything else on the “outside.” Hide in Him, my friend, and trust He’s got your back. 😉
Just what I needed message
Cindi, your content regarding ‘Orphan or Daughter’, is exactly what I need this morning. Some things you wrote are so similar to my life at this time.
Trying to help my daughter move into a new place. She recently went through heart surgery at 49 years old. Also on my mind are taxes and insurance for various needs.
My daughter is a Christian, as well as I am too. I regret that I do not turn all things over to God. Others have often called me a “Ms. Fix-it”. Being a widow, making decisions especially when it comes to finances, is frightening. I want to do good, be wise, but it is a problem for me to accept help, thinking I have failed. Yet, I do love and trust HIS presence. Your message has given me courage.
Blessings and Prayers, Sandra
Thank you, Sandra, for your sweet encouraging words. None of us has truly arrived, spiritually. Oh how we need Him, day to day, even when we think we’ve given it over to Him. I’ve found it helps to praise Him ahead of time for what He’s going to do and what He determines to do. That keeps me in the mode of looking to Him, not depending on myself.
I sometimes feel on my own because I am a non-RINO republican living in California and reunited with God after years of identifying as a liberal Wiccan. I have no friends and get attacked or shunned when I speak of politics or accepting Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior. I feel alone as everyone I know and meet is as weird as I used to be. All they want to talk about is aliens and how the Bible proves it. A Bernie Bro in my family said he “hates Christians”. I often pray, “Lord, deliver me from idiots and send me a true friend with whom I can feel comfortable and conservative clients who do not cancel my business.” Until then, Jesus has been my rock, even when I was a rebellious idiot.
Carol, Jesus truly is our Rock, isn’t He? This morning I re-read a favorite verse of mine, Psalm 62:1-2: “For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.”
In The Message, that verse reads: “God, the one and only— I’ll wait as long as he says. Everything I need comes from him, so why not? He’s solid rock under my feet, breathing room for my soul, An impregnable castle: I’m set for life.”
I, too, live in California, and we are definitely in the minority when it comes to biblical values. But then Jesus said we would always be in the minority, regardless of where we live and we’d feel it, as long as we’re following Him and His ways. He told us the world would hate us because they hated Him before us. Remember, what Jesus said in Matthew 7:13-14: “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” We will never see this world live according to a biblical worldview. And I’m finally okay with that because this world is not our home. I find I have far more peace these days when I think less about politics and focus more on obeying Colossians 3:2: “Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.” Experience His peace, my friend, knowing that the victory is already yours and Jesus’ kingdom (which is not of this earth) is secure. You are not alone. And I am praying today that God will bring you an encouraging Christian friend.
Some days I can be praising the Lord for how richly we have been blessed, and the next hour I am worrying, most of the times about money. Such were a couple days this week!
Thank you for these wise reminders and the words from Oswald Chambers. One of these days they will stick!!💗
Thanks, Linda, for your honesty words. We all need reminders daily to be praising, rather than complaining. 😉
Cindi, thank you for sharing this blessed message.
You’re welcome, Paula. 🙂
Hi I love the way you Encourage people first time ever reading and looking on your website I will purchase your books when things get better I ask you to pray for me and my family the devil been attacked me Really bad since my sister passed away she was my pastor, mentor I have a 2yrs son i’m really afraid to even go outside So scared of Covid 19 …. I feel Like I’m lost Thank you my sisters and brothers pray for us