Divine provision

Do you sometimes fall exhausted on the sofa when you get home in the evening, even if you haven't worked through a long to-do list? What happens on days like that? What stresses us out so much, even though we haven't done anything extraordinary? Sometimes supposedly small things sap our energy. For example, the late and overcrowded subway, the internet problems when you are working from home or the colleague who snaps at us for no apparent reason. Some days are emotionally exhausting, even if they sound relaxed from the outside. We have no control over these external circumstances, but they can exhaust us anyway.

However, our inner attitude depletes our energy reserves much more often than external circumstances. Then we may only have had routine tasks at work, but we spend half the time worrying about whether our boss is happy with our work. Although he does nothing to indicate that he is unhappy with us or our work, our thoughts start spiraling. At the end of the day, we are convinced that our boss is so unhappy with our work that we will be fired in the next few days.

What do we do then? How do we get out of this downward spiral? We can start by turning to the Bible. There we read, for example: "Cast all your cares on him, for he cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7) But how can we put this into practice? After all, our worries are not like packages that we can return to the sender.

Jesus always withdrew to discuss his needs with God. Have you ever gone to talk to Jesus when you have realized that your thoughts have become entangled in a negative spiral? Because in such situations, we need nothing more than God's truth. Rationally, we know that God provides for us, but our heart can't really believe it. For example, we keep putting our foot in the door in the work area of life instead of inviting Jesus in and experiencing his provision. We get ahead of ourselves trying to work things out for ourselves instead of claiming the divine provision that Jesus promises us (Corinthians 9:8). God provides for us even if we don't ask him to. But the more we trust in him and his divine provision, the greater the miracles he works in our lives.

Next Step: What is draining your strength right now? Talk to the Holy Spirit, let him show you the cause and ask him for his perspective on the situation.