March 20, 2023

Tracy Clark
"But I will bless the person who puts his trust in me, He is like a tree growing near a stream And sending roots out to the water. It is not afraid when hot weather comes, Because its leaves stay green; It has no worries when there is no rain; It keeps on bearing fruit."
Jeremiah 17:7-8

One of my most recurring prayers is that I would be like this tree planted by the stream. Can you imagine? No worries when there is no rain. In my own thought experiment, I consider what it would be like to have no worries when circumstances look like this:

There is no money.
There is no time left.
There is no future at work.
There is no future in this relationship.
There is no way to heal.

It’s not a stretch thought experiment because I’ve experienced all of these circumstances at different times, both before and after surrendering to let Christ lead the way.

I used to think it was almost cruel in Scripture, those verses that purport not worrying as a possibility. I mean, have you seen the state of discord and heartbreak in the world, Jesus? Or in my life? But God continues to show me how nothing else I can try and put my hope in was meant to satisfy, even the good stuff. And I have experienced His faithful promises fulfilled time and again. He is who He says He is. That is why I can, in joy, not begrudging submission, choose His ways and put all my trust in Him because He is the answer every single time. Come to the stream, surrender your worries, and let God fulfill His promises.

He promises to be our provider.
He promises to be our peace.
He promises to be our future and provide discernment.
He promises to be our reconciler and comforter.
He promises to be our healer.