The home intruder I almost didn’t catch

Jeff left home more than 3 weeks ago. It’s the longest we’ve been apart since we were married on June 30, 1990. He headed West to start his new job, while I stayed behind for Jacob to finish his senior year, for me to finish my job, and to pack the house (mostly …). I’m ready for him to come back. While he’s been away, I’ve been careful to lock the doors every night, leave the porch light on, and let the dog sleep with me (going to be sorry for that …).  Though I know the Lord watches over me, I don’t want to invite intruders. Despite all of my efforts to be safe and secure, I overlooked one thief who found a way in.

When Jeff left, I had one main objective: survive April.  And I have. I prayed and worked and drove and smiled and packed and planned and prayed and listened and talked and prayed (did I say pray?) my way through the month. I did all I could to take my thoughts captive; thoughts about present problems like real estate contracts, home inspections, boxes, job transitions, and senior projects. If we don’t take stray thoughts captive, they become intruders with potential for damage. But as April turned into the first days of May, I was tired. The enemy knows what “tired” looks like, and he moves in to open doors left ajar. Enter WORRY.

Worry is the unwelcome guest in our hearts and minds. Worry doesn’t have to bring much or stay all day; it only needs a presence inserted here and there, with traces left behind, to do its work. I didn’t have a LOT of worry … just a little. It steals our peace and disrupts the trust meant to cover those in our lives. Worry is the thief that takes up residence before we recognize it.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (John 10:10)

The enemy doesn’t have to wreak total havoc, though he could. He only has to let worry loose in our hearts and homes to rob us of our joy and sabotage God’s plan for victory.  It doesn’t take much worry to wear us out.

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. (Matthew 6:25-34)

Worry is the unseen thief waiting to slip through the cracks and into our hearts.

• God’s truths answer the questions that stir up my fears:  God knows my need for shelter, provisions, and coverings. He understands mortgage payments, college tuition, new budgets, gas prices, and closing costs.
• God’s plans answer the uncertainty that weighs on my mind:  God wants me to seek His matters most and really trust Him to provide for the rest. He won’t leave us wanting or lead us to emptiness.

God already has answers for the questions that plague us about our lives. Relationships? Kids? Finances? Church? Physical? He knows and He plans to provide in a perfect way at a perfect time.

“What has come to be has already been named.” (Ecclesiastes 6:10a)

I’ll still lock my doors and leave the light on. I might NOT let the dog sleep with me tonight … but I’ll be looking out for the real thief who wants to rob me of my job and peace! I’ve been so careful to be safe that I almost missed the one intruder who can rob me of what matters most. What worries are robbing you of peace right now?

You might also be encouraged by Philippians 4:6-7 and Luke 12:24-34.