5 Scriptures to Bring You Peace

When All You Want to Do is Escape from Life

Yesterday, I was a bit overwhelmed (and that might be the understatement of a lifetime!).

I work from home as a writer, and I have a book deadline that is looming. My husband is in Australia for work, and my young kids ages 7, 4, and 4 are always extra needy when John's gone. (Insert LOTS of testing mom.)

Did I mention I'm also homeschooling? And I won't dwell too long on my 20-year-old son who lives at home and still enjoys mom time, or my 84-year-old grandmother who lives with our family, or our puppy who's still in the chewing phase and decided to put a nice hole in the living room carpet! (I wish I were joking!)

When I sat down with my Bible, devotional book, and journal yesterday morning I was empty. If anyone wanted to escape from “life” at that moment, it was me. But as I began to dwell on God's truths, everything began to change. I was reminded that Jesus never intended for me to carry my burdens alone.

Instead, this is what He had to say:

Come to me. Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest." —Matthew 11:28 NIV
Cast ALL your anxiety. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. —1 Peter 5:7 NIV
Do not worry. Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear.” —Luke 12:22 NIV
Do not be afraid. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you. —Deuteronomy 31:8
Do not be anxious about anything. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. —Philippians 4:6

I'm not sure when I got the idea that I had to handle everything myself. I'm pretty certain God didn't set up “the perfect storm” and then sit back to watch, thinking, “Well, let's see how she gets out of this one.”

Instead, God allows the hard stuff of life to happen in order for us to discover Him and lean into Him in the middle of our overwhelmed state. This poem (written many years ago!) explains it perfectly.

Child of My love, lean hard,

And let Me feel the pressure of thy care;

I know thy burden, child, I shaped it;

Poised it in My own hand, made no proportion

in its weight to thine unaided strength;

For even as I laid it on, I said

I shall be near, and while he leans on Me,

This burden shall be Mine, not his;

So shall I keep My child within the circling

arms of My own love.

Here lay it down, nor fear to impose it on a

shoulder which upholds the government of

worlds.

Yet closer come; thou art not near enough;

I would embrace thy care so I might feel My

child reposing on My breast.

Thou lovest Me? I know it. Doubt not then;

But, loving Me, Lean Hard.

—May Prentiss Smith "Streams in the Desert", September 12 Devotion

Today, print up this free printable and dwell on these Scriptures. Cast your cares on Him. Lean hard, and wait for peace to come!

As Robert J. Morgan writes in his devotional book All to Jesus:

“No problem is too small for His notice, none too large for His power. He's concerned about each and every problem I have or would ever have, public or personal, large or little. He can handle them, and I should give them all to Him in total trust.”

Friend, will you give all your cares to Jesus in total trust? He's waiting for that very thing. Lean in!

For you today,

Tricia Goyer