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"Trying to control all the details of your world is exhausting."

A thought by Max Lucado from his book. Trade Your Cares for Calm (p. 40). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)

It really is, isn’t it?

Max says, “And for good reason. Only God has the power to see and know everything. But we forget. And before long, we’re back at it—running too fast, working too many hours, and trying to control everyone and everything around us.

“The question isn’t if this approach will wear you out. It’s what do you do when you run out of gas? Stare at the gauge? Blame your upbringing? Deny the problem? Never works.”

He goes on, “In the case of an empty tank, we’ve learned: get the car to a gas pump ASAP. In life, we try to push the car ourselves. We are in such a hurry to get where we want to go that we scoff at the service station, get out of the driver’s seat, and try to do things with our own effort. Push, push, push. Stopping for gas is for wimps.

“If you are putting in sixty hours a week to build up your ‘own’ business, that may signal you are pushing the car yourself. And you’re likely getting tired.”

Max then says, “To avoid suffering from a fuel-less faith, you need to fill yourself with some high-test fuel. Try some Philippians—six promises from a premium-grade book.

“• Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (1:6 NIV)
• For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. (1:21 NIV)
• Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves. (2:3 NIV)
• I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death. (3:10 NIV)
• I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (3:14 NIV)
• I can do all this through him who gives me strength. (4:13 NIV)”

He then says, “Fill your tank with verses like these and stop trying to push yourself around. And remember: God is able to do what you can’t.”

So, are you suffering from a fuel-less faith today?  Do you need to stop and fill up with some high-test fuel from God’s premium-grade book?  Do you?


Yes, yes!
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