As the sun sets tonight, I have my patio door open to vent out the heat from the day. The sky is pink to the west, and the sun has already disappeared, but this evening as another day ends, I find my thoughts turning to worry for tomorrow, next week, and next month. I know better because Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:34, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (NIV)
Still, I tend to fret more in the quiet of night than during the busyness of the day.
When the evening comes and darkness replaces daylight, are you, like me, more prone to fret about things, which, for the most part, are outside of our control? From experience, I know it’s easy to allow your thoughts to go ballistic, even after turning everything over to God in prayer. Tonight, I decided to play some worship music while sitting at my kitchen table to drown out some very noisy people who live behind my house and have a pool.
As I listened to the praise and worship music, I began to think about family, friends, and other situations that I am praying for. Despite the uplifting music, I could still sense the devil trying to break into my sought-after peace in Christ and trying to derail my focus. That rotter is highly skilled at such things, and that is when the Lord reminds us to stay vigilant in our battle with the enemy: “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in your faith.” (1 Peter 5:8-9 ESV) “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil. And he will flee from you.” (James 4:7 ESV)
Did you know that when your mind wanders, day or night, and you begin to feel anxious about your life or the unsettling events in it, Jesus also promises to help us—to deliver us and to bestow His peace upon us when we remain Christ centred? The Lord wants us to equip ourselves with spiritual armour to stand firm against the forces of evil that attempt to disrupt our peace: “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” (Isaiah 26:3 ESV) Psalms 34:4 says, “I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.” (ESV)
In my life, and I’m sure yours, the peace of God is one of my most highly coveted desires. But when our minds go on a worry rampage, we can lose our focus and forget that God is always by our side—ready, willing, and able to hear us when we call out to Him for help. We must submit to God and resist the devil’s arrows, pray continuously, and stand firm in our faith. Always.
“So, we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.’” (Hebrews 13:6 ESV)
Paul Smyth
