“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 1:9

In our busy and hectic world, it is often all too easy to get caught up in the day-to-day grind, and forget to look to God for guidance. One thing I have found that really helps me refocus myself is using the Bible app – of which there are several versions available. It has this really nice feature called “Verse of the Day”, which sends me a daily notification with a Bible verse at the time of my choosing. I have mine set to appear each morning at 7am, and I have found it to be a well-needed reminder as I ready myself for the work day – often feeling anxious about the stressors and responsibilities the day may bring. I like to leave the notification on my phone throughout the day, as something to look back on when I feel worry or fear or stress start to overwhelm me. Perhaps the coolest thing to me is how these supposedly “random” daily verses so often seem to pertain to exactly what I feel I am facing or struggling with in my daily life. I cannot count the times where one of these verses has really hit home just when I felt like I needed it the most. I think this serves as an excellent reminder that God is always present in our lives, in all that we do – we just simply need to take the time to allow ourselves to see and acknowledge Him in the ways that He is manifesting Himself to us. Once you start allowing yourself to see God’s workings in even the most seemingly mundane daily circumstances, it is difficult to stop, thus keeping God at the forefront of your mind.

I have dealt with many things in my life, both big and small, that have caused me to worry, or weigh myself down with fear of the unknown. Without fail, each and every one of these challenges has resolved, most of the time in a way much better than I could have even hoped for. I frequently find myself wondering afterwards, was this really worth all the weight of the worry I saddled myself with? To me, the above verse was, and continues to be, an excellent reminder that I do not face any of these battles alone. Though I am human and frequently fall short, relying on God’s Word gives me the strength to approach each day without fear of what is to come, knowing that God is with me, and He will guide my path.

Prayer: Dear Lord, please give us the strength to approach each day and each challenge as You have commanded us: without fear or worry, knowing that You will be by our side through the good times and the bad. Thank You, Lord. In Your name we pray. Amen.