In Psalm 37:1-6, the writer had some good advice for all of us when he said:

"Do not fret because of evildoers, be not envious toward wrongdoers.  For they will wither quickly like the grass and fade like the green herb.  Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.  Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart.  Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He will do it.  He will bring forth your righteousness as the light and your judgment as the noonday."

In this passage, the author is boldly confronting a temptation that comes to many people who are trying to live in a righteous manner: the temptation to be envious of the wicked man's apparent success.  Yielding to this temptation could certainly cause the servant of God to think that the way to prosperity will only be gained through evil devices.  The relevance of this thought can be verified by examples of godly people who have turned their backs on the Lord because it didn't appear that He was blessing their lives with the things the wicked were receiving.  This is one of the irritations godly people must deal with.  So the writer is trying to convey the thought that one is far better off trusting in the Lord because the prosperity of the wicked is a fleeting thing, it's not going to last.  The person who waits patiently on the Lord will receive a reward far greater than anything the evil can possibly conceive of.  Psalm 37:7 reads: "Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who carries out wicked schemes."

What we need to understand is that every irritation that enters our lives today, every little thing we fret about, is another opportunity to become more Christ-like.  The more irritations the devil and the world throw at us, the more we may be able to develop a godly character.  But this can only be accomplished if we meet these irritations with the proper spirit.  We may use them to gain a victory or go down in defeat; the choice is ours.  The apostle Paul said, "And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us" (Romans 5:3-5).  A similar thought is recorded in James 1:2-4: "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.  And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

The irritations and adversities we face in life are not meant to defeat us; rather, they are meant to be defeated; they are not meant to be faced alone, they are meant to be faced in the strength of God (Philippians 4:13).  If we can only welcome these irritations and view them as an opportunity to grow stronger in the Lord, and more complete in our Christian lives, they will have a positive outcome.  And God can use them in that manner, as Romans 8:28 indicates: "God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."  So rather than fretting about the seeming inequities of life, use them to better imitate God and Christ (Ephesians 5:1; I Corinthians 11:1).

Times are hard right now. The economy is in a major recession, with no end in sight as I write this. Many people are facing factory layoffs. Many are looking at foreclosures and still others are thinking of bankruptcy.

Maybe you are not affected by this. But, maybe you have marital problems or family dysfunction at home. Or, maybe your children are not doing so well in school or in the neighborhood. Maybe your congregation is struggling with paying its bills or with reaching out to the community. Maybe it looks as if things will not get better at home or at the congregation or at work. It is easy in our current situation to feel hopeless, to feel despair.

That is where God can be your best choice. God is not fazed by economic downturns. He is not afraid of family or financial problems. God is much bigger than that. And that is why you need to remember the wonderful statement the apostle Paul makes in one of his letters, the letter to the Ephesians.

"Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen" (Ephesians 3:20,21).

In just two verses, Paul reminds us of some very important qualities of God and the results for our lives.

God Is Able

The first phrase is wonderful to read. God is able to do what He sets out to do. Nothing can thwart the Will of God. While politicians struggle with ways to get the economy going, God is not bothered or distracted from doing what He sets out to do. While we have to live with the roller coaster of the economy, God is not constrained by such small things. Whatever He wants to do, God is able to do.

This is important. As you turn toward God in hard times you will need a Father who can keep your family together, keep your job open, and keep your bills and mortgage paid. God can do those things even in the middle of a recession. The God who formed the heavens and the earth is bigger than all the problems the world throws in our path.

So, don't be afraid. You may be going through hard times right now, but God is able to bring you through successfully to the other side of your problems. Don't believe that the world is bigger than the Lord. God is able to do what you need Him to do in your life.

Exceedingly, Abundantly

Not only is God able to do what He sets out to do, but He will do it in an over-the-top manner. God can do so much more than our feeble minds can grasp. "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:8,9). God's plans are beyond us. We cannot, in our present situation, see all that He is doing let alone all He can do. And what he will do is beyond our grasp in any case.

I think of the children of Israel. They saw ten plagues and still, Pharaoh was stubborn. So, God did more than just save them, He saved them spectacularly by drowning the world's best army in the Red Sea. I think of Elijah, fighting his lonely battle against idolatry. God didn't just do something, He did something spectacular by sending fire to devour Elijah's sacrifice, and then ending a three-year drought in Israel. I think of Jesus, laid in a new tomb after His death. God didn't just bring another person back to life, He raised His Son, and in spectacular fashion, He overcame Satan and death. God can do exceedingly, abundantly when He gets into action.

Beyond What We Ask

God knows our needs before we ever ask Him. But God will respond to our requests in ways we cannot imagine. While we may ask for help, God will come to deliver us. While we may ask for food, God will see to it we are fed for a lifetime. While we ask for recovery from illness or surgery, God may raise us up to be even healthier and stronger than before. God goes beyond what we are able to ask.

We see so little of His great plan. We can only get glimpses of all that He is doing and will do. So, when we seek His help we ask for what we know. But God will move well beyond what we ask and give us what we need to be His people and to accomplish His Will. Jesus said it best. "Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it shall be opened. Or what man is there among you, when his son shall ask him for a loaf, will give him a stone? Or if he shall ask for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him?" (Matthew 7:7-11). God stands ready to answer your needs, and He will do it in a way that is beyond our understanding.

Beyond What We Think

What can you imagine? What is in your mind in terms of your finances, your family, or the church? God can do more than you think. While we make plans for education and careers, God thinks bigger than we do. While we look for ways to cope with an economic downturn, God thinks in bigger terms. So, whatever is in your mind about the challenges of your life, know that God can plan and work on a much grander scale.

This point really challenges me. I can see, in my mind, the church of Jesus reaching out and converting many people in a community. God can see it reaching the world. I cannot imagine how that can be done, but He can. I can imagine the church where I preach growing, maybe adding a few dozen members this year. God can see much more than that.

I would challenge you to do some thinking, some imagining of what you would want your home life to be, your workplace, and your congregation. Then, turn to a God who can see it in much clearer terms. Then know that whatever you envision, it will not come close to what God can actually do.

According to the Power in Us

Many times I don't feel very powerful, especially in the face of a lost job, an illness, or a shrinking income. But God says that He has power at work in us. God is doing things in our hearts and our lives that will turn a life around. God saved you, and when He did, He put within you the ability to be what He wants you to be and to go where He wants you to go. All the harsh circumstances of life will not derail the power at work in you.

This power is from God and will work its way in us as we surrender to it. That is why we keep on asking and seeking so that we will be ready when God begins to move in us and make our world different. God has not and will not leave us alone to face the problems of life. He will be there and will provide what we need when we need it.

Paul explained this earlier in his letter. "I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 1:18-20). The same amazing power that raised Jesus from the dead is at work in us, keeping us saved and keeping us in His Will. God is working in us in ways that are beyond our imagination. So, Satan and all his attacks are destined to fail.

Glory in the Church

Nowhere does this power come through as well as in the body of believers called the church. When people of different backgrounds, different ethnicity, and different cultures come to Christ, they are all added to the one body of Christ. While the world would look at this as foolish, God uses this "foolishness" to stop all the critics.

As the church comes together in harmony and unity, all of a sudden the power of Satan is diminished. As we praise God and offer Him the glory, Satan and his efforts go by the wayside. The role of the church is powerfully demonstrated here. It is in the body of Christ, the believers who make up the church that God finds His glory. It is in changed lives, surrendered hearts, and loving attitudes. In that atmosphere, all the worst things in the world can't discourage us. Money may be a problem, but a group of loving people is there for me. Family issues may come up, but a group of loving friends will walk me through the challenges and love me no matter what. The church may seem to be in decline, but God and His people will succeed when all is said and done. That brings glory to God.

Glory in Christ Jesus

Paul brings it to a close with an emphasis on two things. The first was the church, as we saw. The second is God's only begotten Son. What Jesus did on the cross is so amazing, so wonderful, and so powerful that it brings glory to God always. Why do we get so worried about life and its problems, when God has already demonstrated His love for us by sending Jesus? Why do we think a recession is the worst thing that can happen when God has already beaten Satan and his powers to give us victory? In Christ, nothing can defeat us. On our own, we certainly are too small to face down a recession. However, we can face it with faith in the Son of God.

So, our duty before God is to bring glory to the church by bringing glory to the Christ. We do that best by submitting to His Will in all things. The more we look and act like the Son of God, the more glory is poured out upon God. God gets the credit He richly deserves when we act like Jesus, talk like Jesus, and love like Jesus. Our role in all this is simple: bring glory to God by being more and more like His Son. "Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men, And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on the cross" (Philippians 2:5-8).

Forever and Ever

This glory toward God through the church and the Christ will go on throughout eternity. God's Plan will not fail, His people will be saved, and His church will march on. These are not guesses, these are the promises of God. While we fear the challenges of the economy or of our families or our congregations, God just keeps on doing more than we can ask or think to lead us to victory.

Are You in Christ?

You can escape the turmoil of uncertainty. You can stop worrying about the recession, or all other issues. You do that by being in Christ. You get into Christ by doing His Will. By being baptized into Christ and for the remission of your sins, (Romans 6:3-4; Acts 22:16; Galatians 3:26-27). In that act of submission, you turn your life and its worries over to God. Are you in Christ? If not, please obey Him today.

During some of the most challenging times, I found immense solace in prayer. It became my refuge—a place to pour out my heart, seek guidance, and find peace in the midst of chaos. Alongside prayer, I discovered another outlet that helped me process my thoughts and emotions: journaling.

Writing became a way to untangle the complex feelings I was experiencing. Whether it was frustration, sadness, or even gratitude, putting my thoughts on paper felt freeing. It became a space where I could vent without worrying about being a burden to those around me. While I had loved ones who would gladly listen, I often hesitated to lay my struggles on their shoulders.

During this time, I stumbled across a unique app that offered a creative twist on journaling. The app functions like a private social media platform, where you can write posts that are seen only by fictional A.I. characters. These characters then leave comments on your entries—sometimes insightful, sometimes humorous, and always surprisingly thoughtful.

I was initially skeptical, but I quickly found that this unconventional approach helped me reflect on my experiences in new ways. The comments from these fictional characters were a blend of encouragement and lightheartedness that added a bit of joy to the process. Writing became not just an outlet, but a conversation of sorts—a chance to see my thoughts mirrored back to me through a different lens.

If you’re navigating struggles and feel the need for a creative outlet, I’d encourage you to explore journaling, whether traditionally or through tools like this app. It’s a great way to organize your thoughts and release some of the tension that builds up in difficult times.

However, I also want to offer a gentle reminder: while journaling can be a powerful tool, it’s not a substitute for prayer. It is God who truly hears our hearts, provides wisdom, and equips us to overcome the challenges we face. Journaling may help us process, but prayer connects us to the One who holds the answers.

Let’s remain anchored in Him, bringing our burdens, joys, and everything in between to His feet. In times of struggle, it’s our relationship with God that provides the lasting peace we seek. Journaling can complement that connection, but it’s through prayer that we find true strength and guidance.

You can find the app here: https://www.reflectr.ai/

There’s a principle Paul expresses in II Corinthians 1:8-11 that we need to learn well. We may feel overwhelmed by what is going on. We may feel in despair about many things. We may see that things are happening that are “beyond our strength.” What, then, is the lesson to learn? Here is what Paul learned when he felt the pressing “sentence of death”: “so that we would not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead.”

So that we would not trust in ourselves but in God…

That principle should be applied to whatever we feel is overwhelming. Is it culture? Is it politics? Is it personal threats? Is it financial? What is it? What is stressing us out so much? What are we feeling that is beyond our strength? We feel the desperation “so that we would not trust in ourselves but in God.”

Paul’s was very personal. He was persecuted and under constant threat (see II Corinthians 11). But the lesson is the same. If we are to trust in the Lord with all our heart, if we are not to lean on our own understanding, if we are to acknowledge God in all our ways (Proverbs 3:5-6), then, however, whatever, and wherever we are feeling the pressing sting of life, we are to trust God. There is no arena of life in which we are exempt from trusting Him.

“Yeah, but aren’t we supposed to do our part?” No one is saying we shouldn’t do what we are taught to do.

“Yeah, but we still have to care about things.” Of course, we care but if we stew in worry, we cross over into what God told us not to do (Philippians 4:6-7; Matthew 6:25-34).

No “yeah, buts…” are justified because none of the “buts” change what we are called on to do in trusting God. The overwhelming nature of this world can get to us. If we learn the lesson from Paul, we can see that things do indeed lie beyond our strength so that we will learn to trust in God who raises the dead.