Afraid of the future? Here's the way to achieve lasting peace
Are you afraid of the future?
Many singles are, especially if they haven't saved any money. They fear many things because they're not prepared. In today's uncertain economy, it can be easy to be scared.
Throughout www.inspiration-for-singles.com, I advocate that you trust
God, but each of us also bears responsibility to look out for
ourselves.
Common sense says we shouldn't get into mess after
mess, expecting God to rescue us from all of them. God gave each of us
intelligence and expects us to use it. Bad choices have consequences.
But what responsibilities are ours and what are God's?
How to do your part
There's an old saying that "The Lord helps those who help themselves." By the way, that comes from Benjamin Franklin, not the Bible, but it does make good sense.
We have the responsibility to pay our own bills and to not buy things we can't afford. When we get into debt, we shouldn't expect God to bail us out.
Of course, sometimes we have emergency expenses, like medical bills that we didn't anticipate. That's why it's wise to build up an emergency fund. You won't be so afraid of the future if you save for a rainy day.
Here's an important lesson I have learned: It may take sacrifice to sock away some money every week into savings, but when an emergency comes up and you need it, you'll feel like a genius.
If there's
one thing that's certain about life, it's that unforeseen circumstances
are going to come up, and often they're going to be expensive. By
opening a savings account and building it up, you plan for those
emergencies.
Just remember: That account is for emergencies, not
for buying something you really want. If you do that, you defeat the
account's purpose.
The same holds true for taking care of your
health. That seems like common sense, but many people ignore it. Eating
right and going for regular checkups is a wise investment. Also, going
to the dentist regularly and having your teeth cleaned and examined can
prevent many costly problems. In all areas, preparation and prevention
are vital.
We all need to be adults. Nobody likes to go to the
doctor or dentist, let alone spend the money on it, but this is an
investment in your future. It's much easier--and much less painful and
expensive--to prevent problems than to try to undo them later.
What about the BIG fears?
Have you been ignoring the question of Jesus Christ? If you believe you'll get into heaven because you're a "good person," you're kidding yourself.
The reason Jesus had to die is because none of us is good enough to get into heaven on our own goodness. We can't meet God's standards, so Jesus took our punishment upon himself. He made a way for us.
If you're afraid of the future because you've led a sinful life, you can receive assurance of heaven by being born again.
The act itself is simple, yet it guarantees that you will be with God in heaven for eternity after you die. If you're not a Christian, here's what it takes:
- Confess your sins to God, saying, "Lord, I am sorry for all the sins I've committed during my life."
- Ask forgiveness, praying, "God, please forgive me for offending you. I am sincerely sorry."
- Accept Christ into your heart. "I accept Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior. Thank you for adopting me into your family, God."
When you do that honestly and sincerely, you have eternal security in
Christ. Be aware, however, that this privilege does not give you license
to commit whatever sin you want in the future.
Because you're
human, however, you will sin again. When you do, confess that sin to God
and ask for his forgiveness, knowing that in his grace and mercy, God
does forgive you.
Afraid of the future? Trust God
Trusting God and placing your faith in him is the only way to stop being afraid of the future.
Life can be scary. If you worry about all the bad things that can happen, you'll be governed by fear, not faith.
It's easy to say, "Trust God," but not always easy to do. I know. I've had cancer twice, been unemployed, had relationships break up, and lost loved ones who died.
But at some point, we all have to make a choice. We can be afraid of the future, anxious about what might happen, or we can turn our future over to a loving, caring God.
It's
a big step, but God can be trusted. Throughout the Bible God tells
people to not be afraid. God never lies. In fact, because of his holy
character, he is incapable of lying. He also never tells us to do something we're incapable of doing.
As
you trust God with small things and watch his faithfulness unfold,
you'll be able to hand over bigger and bigger parts of your life. God is
patient. He understands your reluctance.
When you've taken reasonable precautions and done your part, you can count on God to do his.
Remember
that you're God's adopted child, and you're under his protection. If
you focus on that truth, you no longer need to be afraid of the future.
