Rest from stress.

 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? - Matthew 6:26-27 (NIV)

Do you know how extremely valuable you are?  This scripture says if your Heavenly Father, the one who created you cares for the birds by feeding them, providing for them, how much more valuable and cared for are you? Can worrying about anything add a single hour to your life?

What I have found true is that worrying or stressing over something will not change or add a single hour to my life but actually steals precious time and energy. It’s not productive or even effective. I’m definitely a recovering worry addict. If I wasn’t worried then life wasn’t normal.

I let worry consume me and what I learned was that it was like a cord around my neck getting tighter and tighter until I couldn’t breathe. I was trapped in a cycle of not being able to let go but rather holding tightly to fear. 

Fear of the unknown, fear of things that were out of my control(which is most everything). It takes a little faith and trust to surrender to the God who is  in control. This took me years to finally understand. And the thing is, by letting go of my worries and concerns and placing them in his hands, actually gave God room to work things out for my good and his glory. Trusting that in all things I can give thanks and pray and the God of peace will guard my heart and mind in Christ Jesus.(Phil. 4:6-7). 

Worry and fear go hand in hand. If we check what we are worried about, its root is usually based on a fear we have. For instance, for me one of my worries that used to keep me awake at night was if I had said all the right things that day. I’ve known from a young age that our words matter; they can cut and tear down or mend and build up. The enemy of my soul tirelessly tried to keep me silent, still does actually. I let insecurity, fear of rejection, fear of abandonment, take root in me and oh, the turmoil it all brought to me. It came in the worst ways...attacked my identity, my marriage, the way I experienced life but it also was the catalyst God used to free me, hallelujah! (Romans 8:20-21) Here is the honest truth, these fears are like friends now, I recognize them at their onset and know now to cling to the truth of God and his Word instead of letting them get the best of me. I know now a God that was once unknown to me is now known. I am thankful for all the sleepless nights. I’m thankful for all the hard lessons learned. I’m thankful for the peace, joy and love it all produced. The best part is I know this journey we are on is not done. Their will be more lessons learned. More trials to endure and even more bad days ahead I’m sure, but the greatest, most extravagant part is, I know who I can trust. Who I can run to for comfort and has my back. There is no power in hell that can separate me from him( Romans 8:38-39). So I can rest in the stress. 

In Matthew 11:28-30, the Lord says,”Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your soul. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

There is a book by Max Lucado called Traveling Light. It speaks to this and describes how Jesus is our Shepherd. He causes us to lay down in green pastures and beside still waters. He causes  us to not be in want, but is the source of all we need, he satisfies our soul. He even prepares for us a table in the presence of our enemies. This suggests he will highly favor you, welcoming you to his table regardless of who or what  is attacking you, figuratively or literally. He  causes goodness and mercy to follow you all the days of your life. His rod and staff will protect and guide you on your life journey so that nothing can harm your soul. Death will be as a shadow as we walk through that dark valley, we will have no fear of evil because shadows cannot harm us, he will bring us out into his wonderful light. Friend, I don’t know if you need to hear this but there is nothing to worry or fear when the Lord is by your side… he fights for you. You are his prize possession. You are the apple of his eye. He will not allow evil to harm you or come near your dwelling because your life is in him. He is quick to send his angels concerning you. If you are experiencing a season of pain or struggle or if anxiety has a grip on you and you can’t seem to grab hold of hope, let the God of peace have your concerns, pour out your heart to him, he is waiting to speak with you. Nothing gives the God of creation more pleasure than connecting with you. I know that I know that I know because I have walked through some pretty dark days and it was my biggest surprise when he showed up in all the tears and all the fears comforting me with his love and with his endless care. We walked out of darkness together, hand in hand, step by step into his light and love. 

So if you’re wondering how valuable you are to God, here is the truth:


Psalm 139:13-18

13 You are the one who created my innermost parts; you knit me together while I was still in my mother’s womb. 14 I give thanks to you that I was marvelously set apart. Your works are wonderful—I know that very well. 15 My bones weren’t hidden from you when I was being put together in a secret place, when I was being woven together in the deep parts of the earth.16 Your eyes saw my embryo, and on your scroll every day was written that was being formed for me, before any one of them had yet happened. 17 God, your plans are incomprehensible to me! Their total number is countless! 18 If I tried to count them—they outnumber grains of sand! If I came to the very end—I’d still be with you.

I hope you know how fearfully and wonderfully made you are. My hope is that you believe this from the center of your core. That you treasure these truths in your heart and in your soul and that nothing will snatch this truth away from you! In Jesus name I pray, Amen 

With you and love you!

Tracey Hanko 

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