How often do we dwell on things that ultimately do not matter? How many precious days of life are spent stressing about something we should have shaken off a long time ago?? How rocked is your boat by waves you cannot control?

Life happens, and it happens to all of us. If you’re saving up your happiness until things stop happening, then girl you’ll only be happy when you die. While you’re alive, things are guaranteed to happen. Remember what Jesus said in John 16:33 “In this world you will have trouble.”

Look around … you’re in this world and there’s always trouble!

No matter how hard you try, no matter how good of a person you are, and no matter how much you love Jesus, you are not insulated from the troubles of this world. But you don’t have to be turned upside down by this trouble. You don’t have to let that trouble get inside of you. You don’t have to forfeit your peace and allow misery to seep into your spirit.

Jesus has already conquered your problem. He’s already made a way right through this. He’s already gone before you and said you will have victory here and you will overcome. So why aren’t you living in peace right through it?

Yesterday my brand new iPhone 12 went for a swim. Initially my phone was perfectly fine. But this morning after plugging it in for the night, it was no longer functioning. This is a first world problem! This will not matter 5 years from now! This is a temporary problem that simply shouldn’t rock my boat. It doesn’t mean that it doesn’t suck, but it does mean it’s my choice whether it ruins a perfectly good day of life or not.

Sometimes, don’t we need to just stop our whining and complaining for a moment and gain some proper perspective? Don’t we need to take a holy pause and see not everything deserves more than 5 minutes of our time? Don’t we need to just let some things go, take a breath and calm the heck down to see maybe this isn’t a big deal … and maybe God’s working in this and our freak out hinders his work.

What have you been stressing about? Is there something that has been stealing your joy? Where has your peace been forfeited because of crashing waves you cannot control? Will this problem even matter 5 years from now?

The truth is, 91.39% of the stuff we worry about never even happens. We are borrowing tomorrow’s troubles today, and that tomorrow doesn’t even show up the majority of the time. Why do we do this? Why do we continually get sucked in and willingly offer up our peace for ransom as we wait for things that may never happen?

Answer: BECAUSE WE HAVE A REAL ENEMY IN THIS WORLD AND YOUR STIRRED UP PEACE IS THE PERFECT ENVIRONMENT FOR HIS DESTRUCTION.

How stirred up is your peace? How have you allowed your soul to be an environment for his destruction? Girl, how rocked is your boat in this storm? And really, is there even a storm, or are you looking at the forecast and assuming the worst case is heading right towards you?

God’s power is unlimited. Have you invited his unlimited power into the very thing that’s been rocking your boat? Seriously, how big does your problem have to be before you talk to Jesus about it? Why do we qualify what God would and would not be willing to show up for?

Let me assure you, God is not too busy with someone else’s big problems to be involved in yours. He doesn’t dismiss your prayers over minor issues so he can focus on only bigger problems. Let your God out of that box girl and invite him into every detail of your life. Let your first response to every single hiccup, every bump, every potential threat, every setback, every disappointment, and every ‘uh-oh’ be “hey God, would you get in the middle of this?”

God, would you unleash your power here? Would you work as only you can work? Would you show yourself bigger than this problem?

After praying about my ruined phone, I sat down and began writing this devotional. 2 paragraphs in, I see my phone flash from the corner of my eye, and y’all I’m not crapping you, it’s now perfectly fine. I’m sure there’s a great explanation that an expert could explain it away, but here’s what I know … my God is big enough to cover every detail of my life, and personal enough to show up when I invite him in.

His answer may vary, but his power is unwavering. His providence is never ending. His goodness is big enough to keep you afloat right through this storm.

Let’s remember what Jesus said before and after his warning of trouble. He says ““I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

In Jesus you can have peace. You can be right in the middle of the trouble and keep your heart from being overwhelmed. You can control your mind and surrender the outcome to a good, good God who cares intimately about the details of your life. You can trust if you invite him into the middle of the situation, regardless of how big or how little it is, he will show up and do what is best concerning you. It may not look best, and it may not feel best, but he is sovereign.

Anchor your peace in Jesus. Let him sustain you in this storm. Let him work some miracles and bless you radically in ways you never expected. You never know what he’s going to do here. Invite him in and trust him to work. He will.