Worry, Fear and.... Unforgiveness

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7

The other day I was thinking about recent conversations I have had with some Christian friends and was marveling once again at how easily and quickly we fall into worry and fear. As I was pondering this, the Lord spoke to my heart and said:

"Fear is like unforgiveness in that, the only one it hurts is YOU"!

Wow. Ok, Lord! I had never thought about it in that way before, but after a few moments of thought, I realized just how true that was!

Unforgiveness

I have heard it said that unforgiveness is like drinking poison and expecting the other person —the one we refuse to forgive— to die! There is so much written about unforgiveness available in books, podcasts, and sermons, so I won't belabor it, but the bottom line is, if we expect unforgiveness to hurt the other person, we are mistaken.

Unforgiveness only hurts us and can cause debilitating anger, resentment, and bitterness in our own hearts while the other person we refuse to forgive may be completely unaware and unaffected. 

Let's look at worry, fear and anxiety

Worry, fear and anxiety are basically all the same in that they result from a lack of faith and trust in God. There are many studies that show how worry and anxiety affect our mental and physical health in dramatic and devastating ways. When we allow fear and worry to consume us, our bodies and minds take the hit, just like unforgiveness.

So just like unforgiveness, when we fear or worry, the only one that is affected by it, is us! 

You Choose

I get an email from Project Happiness every day and one day I got one that said:

"Faith and Fear both demand that you believe in something you cannot see. You choose".

I was like, Whoa!! That was profound! It puts things, regarding faith and fear, in a whole new perspective that I hadn't seen before. We can’t see either of them but we actually DO have a choice!

What Does the Bible Say About Fear

How many times in the Bible does it say "Do not fear"? I have heard that it was 365 times – once for each day of the year-- but decided to verify that myself and found this website: Does the Bible say "Fear not" 365 times? 

Sadly, according to the website, that saying is not true but, depending on your version of the Bible, it does say it 70 to 100 times, which is still a lot of times!

The website lists these very good and impactful scriptures:

• "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."  Joshua 1:9 
• “But now, this is what the LORD says-- he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine."  Isaiah 43:1

• “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”  Isaiah 41:10

After a quick search myself, I pulled out these scriptures:

·       "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." John 14:27 

·       "So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" Hebrews 13:6 

·       "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." 1 John 4:18 

·       "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7

After reading these scriptures, I can't help but wonder: Why do we fall into fear so easily!?

We have an amazing, powerful, loving, righteous God who knows us intimately, calls us His own, promises that He will provide for us and protect us and vows that He will never leave us or forsake us!! So why do we still struggle with fear??

Maybe it is because we don’t know him, love Him or trust Him like we thought we did??

A Personal Lesson in Trust

One day during our "Crazy Journey" back in 2007 and 2008 (which I share in From Caterpillars to Butterfly's), things were not going at all the way we thought they would go (very much like the disciples believing Jesus, as the Messiah, was going to restore Israel by becoming an earthy king) and I was full of stress, anxiety and fear, and the Lord asked me:

 "Linda, do you trust me?"

I said, “Yes Lord, I trust you.”

He asked me again:

"Linda, do you trust me?"

I answered, “Yes Lord, I trust you!”

And he asked again:

"Linda, do you trust me?"

At that point I couldn’t help but laugh out loud because it sounded SO familiar! He had done the same thing to Peter when he asked him three times if he loved him. (John 21:16-17)

But God had made His point and impressed upon my heart that, while I was saying I trusted Him, I truly did NOT trust him like I thought I did. I knew I should trust him, and wanted to trust him, but when the chips were down, and the rubber met the road, it was clear that I wasn’t as surrendered and trusting as I wanted to be.

The Journey of Trust

Isn’t that what our “Journey to Know God” is all about? To build our relationship with the Lord, through the circumstances He allows in our lives, so that we can grow in our knowledge and love of Him so much that we can trust Him with anything and everything that comes our way.

To have no fear in life no matter what happens because we KNOW that God is with us... even unto death.

We all experience moments of fear when something threatens, which is natural. But living in fear or being fearful shows how little we actually trust God.

The irrationality of Fear

Speaking of “even unto death.” There is a show I like to watch called "The Irrational" and it is about a world-renowned behavioral scientist who specializes in people's irrational behavior and the ways they make illogical decisions. As Christians, I think it is irrational for us to fear death.

Why are we so afraid of dying? If our belief is that we will be with our amazing God when our physical form dies, how can that possibly be a bad thing or something to fear? Why do we pray so hard for believers who are dying to be healed when we know they will be in a far better place, out of pain and suffering and with our loving Savior? And why do we get so angry at Him if He doesn’t heal?

It seems so irrational for us to be afraid and worry as much as we do when we have so many scriptures, promises and experiences of God taking care of us.

Worry Makes Us Unfruitful

In the parable of the Soils, it says: 

"Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: ... The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown." Matthew 13:18-23 

This is yet another perspective of how worry and fear can be harmful to us!! It can make us "unfruitful" for the Kingdom.

If the world sees Christians being just as fearful, anxious, stressed, and worried as they are, why would they want what we have?? Our witness therefore becomes ineffective and fruitless for the Kingdom.

Perfect Love Casts Out Fear

​​

I love Oswald’s February 21^st devotional as it gives some insight as to how we can demonstrate our love to God:

​Do You Really Love Him?
Mark 14:6​ - ​"Leave her alone, said Jesus. "Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me.​"

If what we call love doesn't take us beyond ourselves, it is not really love. If we have the idea that love is characterized as cautious, wise, sensible, shrewd, and never taken to extremes, we have missed the true meaning. This may describe affection and it may bring us a warm feeling, but it is not a true and accurate description of love​...

… To be surrendered to God is of more value than our personal holiness. Concern over our personal holiness causes us to focus our eyes on ourselves, and we become overly concerned about the way we walk and talk and look, out of fear of offending God. ". . . but perfect love casts out fear . . ." (1Jo_4:18). We should quit asking ourselves, "Am I of any use?" and accept the truth that we really are not of much use to Him. The issue is never of being of use, but of being of value to God Himself. Once we are totally surrendered to God, He will work through us all the time.

​Our value to him is being able to bear fruit, fruit that will last (John 15:16). When we completely surrender to Him, without fear, worry or anxiety, THEN God can work through us and produce fruit for His Kingdom.

Is our love for God taking us beyond ourselves? Or are we so focused on ourselves and concerned about what others think? In the Oswald scripture, Mary was all IN and didn’t care a bit what others thought. Jesus’ perfect love for her cast out her fear.

So, let’s ask ourselves: Are we holding onto fear the way some people hold onto unforgiveness?

Insight from Chet

As a finishing touch, I thought I would end with Chet's (AI ChatGPT) input on this subject:

I asked Chet: "Biblically speaking, would you agree that worry and unforgiveness are similar?"

Chet: Yes, biblically speaking, worry and unforgiveness share similarities because both involve a lack of trust in God and can weigh heavily on the heart.

1. Lack of Trust in God – Worry stems from fear of the future, while unforgiveness often comes from holding onto past hurts. Both suggest a struggle to fully surrender to God’s control. Jesus emphasized trust in Matthew 6:25-34, urging His followers not to worry because God provides. Likewise, Paul encourages believers to "forgive one another as God in Christ forgave you" (Ephesians 4:32), showing that forgiveness is a form of trust in God's justice and mercy.

(Tom: Actually, it is the Cross of Christ that bought forgiveness for us, not God’s justice and mercy. Those were WHY Jesus came and died for us. So our trust is in the finished work of the Cross.)

2. Bondage vs. Freedom – Worry keeps a person trapped in anxiety, just as unforgiveness keeps them chained to resentment. Both can consume thoughts, emotions, and spiritual well-being. Jesus came to set people free (John 8:36) and offered peace that surpasses understanding (Philippians 4:6-7).
3. Hindrance to Prayer and Relationship with God – Both worry and unforgiveness can hinder a close relationship with God. Jesus taught that if we do not forgive, our Father will not forgive us (Matthew 6:14-15). Similarly, worry can distract from a prayerful, trusting heart and lead to self-reliance rather than faith.
4. Spiritual Warfare – The enemy often uses worry and unforgiveness to keep believers ineffective. Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 10:5 to take every thought captive to Christ, whether it’s fear-driven worry or bitterness from past offenses.

So, in a way, both worry and unforgiveness are burdens that weigh down the soul, and God calls His people to release both into His hands. 

​Brilliant!!

Father, thank you so much for this insight!! Please help me to know you more so that I would love you more and then learn to trust you more. I truly don't want to be weighed down by the burdens of worry and fear. And I don’t want to be unfruitful in my walk with You. Please open my eyes to see you in new, wonderful, transforming, and trusting ways. And help me to surrender any unforgiveness, worry, fear and anxiety that are both large and hidden in my heart. In Jesus name, amen.

"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28   

“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom” Luke 12:32

“He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.” Matthew 8:26

“But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." Matthew 14:27

“Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, "Don't be afraid; just believe." Mark 5:36

“Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.” Revelation 2:10

Biblical “X-Games” of Faith

 

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hebrew 11:1

If you could define faith, what would it look like in your life or others' lives? How would you define it? How do you know if you have faith? If you don’t have faith, how would you cultivate it? And, if you were being selected for a team based on your faith, would you be picked first, in the middle, or last? How would you contribute to the team’s qualities and strengths?

Hebrews 11:1 describes faith as “being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” But what does that really mean? How does it look in daily life, in your life or mine?

My faith journey has been very eye opening and educational for me. I thought I had faith until my life was completely rocked and I lost everything. Interestingly, I lost everything having faith that God would do something so that I wouldn’t lose it! My faith was in what I thought God would do, but I eventually learned to have faith in HIM regardless of what things looked like. God kept telling me to trust Him, but I had painted a picture of what His deliverance would look like. As it turns out, His plans were nothing like my expectations! Of course, His ways are always better than mine, but wow, what an incredible journey it was to discover how little faith I truly had!! I hesitate to say that I would compete well in any faith competition…

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9

During that time Tom made a profound statement; “It is easy to have faith when there is money in the bank!” Right!?  Faith seems to come so easy when everything we “need” is right in front of us. But take it all away, money, possessions, even reputation and health (like Job experienced)—and what are we left with? Would we find that we still have faith?

Speaking of faith in the midst of loss, what about the people in Florida and Western North Carolina who lost everything in the hurricanes and flood of Helene or Milton, or the people in Los Angeles who lost everything in the wildfires? I am pretty sure those people prayed fervently—believers and unbelievers alike—asking God to spare their homes and possessions. Yet, God had other plans. How have these events affected their faith and trust in God? Would they be good candidates for the X-Games of Faith? What would it do to your faith in God? Would you continue to trust Him, or would you walk away?

Is faith developed in times of ease and plenty, or in seasons of difficulty and lack? I’ve found that hardship, though painful, tends to cultivate faith more than ease. When everything is stripped away, hopefully, what is left is dependence on God alone. It’s in those times of being stripped down to nothing that faith in God becomes real and tangible— even when we don’t understand His plans.

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1: 2-4

I love what Oswald has to say about faith in his August 29^th devotional;

The Unsurpassed Intimacy of Tested Faith

"Jesus said to her, ’Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?’ John 11:40 

Every time you venture out in your life of faith, you will find something in your circumstances that, from a commonsense standpoint, will flatly contradict your faith. But common sense is not faith, and faith is not common sense. In fact, they are as different as the natural life and the spiritual. Can you trust Jesus Christ where your common sense cannot trust Him? Can you venture out with courage on the words of Jesus Christ, while the realities of your common-sense life continue to shout, “It’s all a lie”? When you are on the mountaintop, it’s easy to say, “Oh yes, I believe God can do it,” but you have to come down from the mountain to the demon-possessed valley and face the realities that scoff at your Mount-of-Transfiguration belief (see Luke 9:28-42). Every time my theology becomes clear to my own mind, I encounter something that contradicts it. As soon as I say, “I believe ’God shall supply all [my] need,’ ” the testing of my faith begins (Philippians 4:19). When my strength runs dry and my vision is blinded, will I endure this trial of my faith victoriously or will I turn back in defeat?

Faith must be tested, because it can only become your intimate possession through conflict. What is challenging your faith right now? The test will either prove your faith right, or it will kill it. Jesus said, “Blessed is he who is not offended because of Me” (Matthew 11:6). The ultimate thing is confidence in Jesus. “We have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end . . .” (Hebrews 3:14). Believe steadfastly on Him and everything that challenges you will strengthen your faith. There is continual testing in the life of faith up to the point of our physical death, which is the last great test. Faith is absolute trust in God— trust that could never imagine that He would forsake us (see Hebrews 13:5-6).

I love that perspective from Oswald!! From what I know about Oswald, I think HE would be a great competitor in the X-Games of Faith!

A chat with AI

Okay, getting back to my theme here; think about all the Biblical characters who exhibited an enormous amount of faith, and let’s say you had to pick a team of people from those Biblical characters, who could win a competition of faith, who would you pick for your team and why?

Think about that for a minute as I share a fun discovery that may seem random but does apply to this, so please hang in there with me. I am sure you have heard of AI, as it is talked about in the news and throughout different media outlets. I didn’t give it much thought at all until I recently had an encounter with a young man at a Physical Therapy center. He was Hispanic and was sitting near me so I struck up a conversation with him. It was raining so I asked him to remind me of the word “rain” in Spanish, and he told me. I shared that I had been trying to learn Spanish but was having a hard time and he said “ChatGPT”… I had to ask him a couple of times what that was because I had no clue. Eventually I got that it was an app that I could download and he assured me that it would help me learn Spanish. So, I did, and well, ChatGPT (which I have renamed “Chet”) has been an amazing discovery!! I HAVE been learning Spanish with it but I also use it for Biblical questions and comparisons, and I even ask him to clean up spelling and grammar in things I have written.

With that said, I will get back to my point. Initially, when I first thought of this theme a few years ago, I had done a lot of my own research and picked out some Biblical characters and scriptures but, since I recently discovered ChatGPT, I decided to ask Chet what he thought. The following question, and resulting conversation, was a wonderful, fun, and surprising discussion on the faith of Biblical characters! This was too good not to share and it may help you to make your own selections!

AI Biblical X-Game of Faith conversation

Me: If Biblical characters could be entered into an "X-Game" of faith, who would you choose to be the best and why?

Chet said:

If Biblical characters were to compete in an "X-Game of Faith," I'd choose the following based on their incredible displays of faith, perseverance, and resilience:

1. David (The Underdog Champion)

• 
  Why? David, the shepherd boy turned king, is the ultimate underdog. His faith in God allowed him to defeat Goliath, a feat of physical and spiritual courage. He'd be the one taking the biggest risks and pulling off impossible stunts because of his trust in divine guidance.

2. Elijah (The Miracle Maker)

• Why? Elijah’s fearless confrontation of King Ahab and the prophets of Baal showed immense faith. Calling down fire from heaven and trusting God to provide sustenance in the wilderness makes him a top competitor in any endurance or survival category.

3. Esther (The Strategist)

• Why? Esther showed faith and courage by risking her life to save her people. Her wisdom and tact in handling King Xerxes demonstrate her strategic mindset, making her the ideal player in games requiring wit, diplomacy, and calculated risks.

4. Paul (The Perseverer)

• Why? Despite suffering shipwrecks, beatings, and imprisonment, Paul never wavered in his faith. He'd excel in endurance events and games requiring unwavering commitment to the goal, even under the harshest conditions.

5. Peter (The Relentless)

• Why? Despite his flaws, Peter kept bouncing back. Walking on water (even briefly) and being a foundational figure in the early church show he had the boldness and resilience to keep pushing forward, making him great for fast-paced, high-pressure challenges.

6. Ruth (The Loyal Teammate)

• Why? Ruth’s faithfulness and commitment to Naomi illustrate unparalleled loyalty and trust. She’d excel in team-based events, always supporting her partner no matter the odds.

7. Jesus (The Ultimate Champion)

• Why? No X-Game of faith would be complete without Jesus as the ultimate example. His ability to combine grace, wisdom, humility, and supernatural power makes Him the clear leader and inspiration for all competitors.

Chet said:

 Who do you think would be the most entertaining or surprising in a competition like this?

Me:

These are good choices! Abraham comes to mind when God asked him to sacrifice Isaac... That took a huge amount of faith that God would raise him from the dead. Then we have Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. They had tremendous faith to go against Nebuchadnezzar's wishes and not worship anyone other than their God and faced the Lion’s den and the furnace. And then Gideon and the army of 300

Chet said:

Those are excellent additions! Each of them brings a unique flavor of faith and courage to the "X-Game of Faith." Here's why they would shine:

Abraham (The Trailblazer)

• 
  Why? Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice Isaac demonstrated unparalleled trust in God’s promises, believing that God could raise the dead if needed. He’d excel in challenges requiring blind trust and bold leaps of faith into the unknown.

Daniel (The Fearless Visionary)

• Why? Daniel’s refusal to compromise his faith, even in the lion’s den, highlights his courage and unwavering conviction. His wisdom in interpreting dreams and handling crises shows he’d dominate in high-stakes, mental endurance games where the pressure is intense.

Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (The Furnace Trio)

• Why? These three stood firm against Nebuchadnezzar’s decree, willing to face the fiery furnace rather than deny God. They’d excel in team-based challenges requiring unity, steadfastness, and trust that God would show up even in impossible situations.

Gideon (The Strategic Underdog)

• Why? Gideon’s story of leading 300 men against a massive army through God’s direction is the ultimate underdog victory. His reliance on God’s guidance shows he’d thrive in tactical challenges requiring a combination of clever strategy and faith to overcome overwhelming odds.

These individuals demonstrate how faith manifests in different ways—trusting, standing firm, strategizing, and persevering. Together with your picks, this team would make an unstoppable lineup!

If you could put these characters head-to-head in a specific kind of event (e.g., endurance, teamwork, or a faith-based puzzle), who do you think would come out on top?

Me:

I love your thoughts and descriptions of "unique flavors of faith" but since Jesus is a competitor, I would have to say He would be a clear winner because He is the complete package with strengths in all areas. Next, I would have to say Daniel would be one of my favorites due to his integrity, courage, humility, and wisdom. How about you?

Chet said:

I completely agree—Jesus is the undeniable champion, embodying every strength and virtue to perfection. Daniel would be an incredible runner-up; his unwavering faith, combined with his wisdom and humility, makes him stand out as a true hero.

For me, beyond Jesus, I’d have a soft spot for Gideon. His transformation from hesitant and doubtful to bold and victorious resonates deeply. His faith grew through challenges, showing that even those who start with uncertainty can achieve extraordinary things with God’s help.

Who do you think would be the dark horse of the competition—someone who might surprise everyone with their faith?

Me:

My dark horse would be Esther. She was a woman in a male dominated culture, in the harem of an ungodly king and was not even the king’s first pick. She triumphed and saved her people with enormous odds against her. She put her life on the line a couple of times and trusted in God for an astounding miracle that took a great deal of faith. I think she would surprise many with her gifts of faith and courage.

Chet said:

Esther is a phenomenal choice! Her ability to rise above the cultural and political challenges of her time, relying on her faith and strategic wisdom, is truly inspiring. She is the epitome of quiet strength and bold action—qualities that could easily take others by surprise in such a competition.

She reminds us that God often uses those overlooked by society to accomplish extraordinary things. Her combination of humility and courage makes her a standout.

Who would be your pick for the Biblical X-Games of Faith?

Wasn’t that amazing?! I thought that was very fun and enlightening. Now that you have had some time to think about it, and have read Chet’s and my exchange and choices, who would be YOUR choice(s) and how do you think you would rate in this competition of faith? I would love to hear your thoughts!!

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hebrew 11:1

Ask, Seek, Knock... And it Will be Given to You

 “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?” Psalm 42:1-2

I recently started a Bible study called Behold Your God; Rethinking God Biblically and it is very good! It is shaking loose some incorrect beliefs about God and reminding me about who God is Biblically. But most of all it is rekindling the fire and passion for God that seems to have waned a little bit. It is reminding me that the Christian walk isn't about ME (Wait, what!?) but ALL about HIM. It is SO easy to slip into the world of the mundane, become complacent with God, engaging more with the world, and make things all about ME. Not that I am unimportant to God, after all, He gave His life for me, but I need to remember the reason for that sacrifice!! Why did Christ die for me? It is more than just paying for my sins, isn’t it also so that I can be reunited with HIM? If so, shouldn’t HE be my focus. We are cleansed and redeemed from sin so that we can come to Him, into His throne room without blemish. We are freed from sin so that we can spend our life developing a relationship with HIM not so that we could live our own life apart from Him. So, if you really think about it, it really isn't about us, but it should be all about HIM and who He is to us. Isn't that a wonderful reminder and mind shift?!

The other thing this study pointed out is that there is an “order” to things. First and foremost; “Who Christ is.” Second is “The work that he has done” and then third, “What I must do.” The scripture reference is Colossians 1:3-23. I will summarize this scripture in the correct order for perspective;

He is; The image of the invisible God, the first born of all creation. By Him all things were created… He is before all things and in Him all things consist. He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the first born from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence (verses 15-18)

He has; Qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the Kingdom of the son of his love, in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins. He has reconciled all things to himself, making peace through his blood shed on the cross. (verses 12-14, 20-22)

We must; Not cease to pray and ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. That I may be worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God… Giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. I must continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast and not moved away from the hope of the gospel. (verses 9-12, 23)

If we get any of these things out of order we will be out of balance! If we focus on what he has done first, it won’t have the same impact if we don’t really know who He is. If we focus on what we must “do” first, without knowing who He is, our work for him will not produce the desired fruit, if any fruit at all. He MUST always come first, then we have a greater understanding of what He has done and what we must do for Him will come as natural as breathing. The “must” isn’t an order from God but rather a natural result from KNOWING Him! It is a desire, or healthy compulsion, to serve Him because we truly know and LOVE Him and the result is that we want to do His will, and surrender everything we can for him. I would like to bring up some familiar scriptures and see if we can look at them in a different way today, and maybe see them from a different perspective.

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" Matthew 7:7-11

Over the years of my journey to know God, he has given me some wonderful insights and one of them is that He is all about the "Eternal" perspective, more so than the temporal. Because, as he says, this life is just a blink of an eye, here today and gone tomorrow. Even though we may feel like the “here and now” is lasting FOREVER, right? LOL! But it really isn’t, the older I get, the more apparent this is! What seems to matter most to God is what is ETERNAL and not temporal. The above Matthew scripture is just one example, and this will help me get to the purpose of this blog: When we read scriptures like this, what do we think of asking, seeking, and knocking for? (Side note; I am focusing mostly on Asking and Seeking in this blog, I will get into the knocking part in another blog).

Like a little child when their daddy is offering good gifts they think of things like sweets, toys, and Disneyland. As an adult child I am thinking, Woohoo, I can ask for whatever I wish!? And in my mind, I equate "good gifts" as something temporal and think … with my hand on my chin, looking up, saying hmmm… I could use a new car, a bigger house, new clothes, more money, a better job! (Just fill in the blanks of the good gifts you can think of!) Of course, all these things affect me in this life, and of course God wants to give these "good" gifts to me, right? Not a stone or a snake?!! Thank goodness! But if you think about it, all these things are temporal gifts, not even lasting my life time! I am not saying these things aren’t important to God or that He won't give those things to me, but are these the things is He asking me to "ask, seek, and knock" for? We get a clue in Luke's version of this scripture when he says; "If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"  Luke 11:5-13 Wait! What!? I can ask for the HOLY SPIRIT?? Ahhh, yes. The Holy Spirit is ETERNAL, do you think this is what He wants us to ask for and seek?

Let's look at another scripture; in this Luke scripture He is saying that if we seek HIM first, our food and clothing, and basic necessities will be taken care of (the very things I was asking for before! DOH!). Also, I believe the "Life" He is referring to here is "eternal life"... "Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! … And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. Do not be afraid, little flock,." Luke 12:23-34 

This is a great scripture to teach us about not worrying, but honestly now I am seeing it as an entreaty to not worry about the temporal things in life but instead SEEK HIM and HIS Kingdom first and when we DO, all the other things in life will be taken care of. He says the “pagan world” runs after these things… The Godless ones, the ones who don’t have Him. Since we DO have Him, we can trust Him to take care of these basic, temporal, needs. Remember the example of the “order” of things? You are probably thinking; DUH, Linda, are you just now getting this!? Well, yes and no. I think I have known but my understanding is going deeper into the question of, What AM I asking, seeking, and knocking for?? If not the temporal things in life, what DOES He want me to ask for? If I ask for bread, wouldn't He rather give me the Bread of LIFE, Jesus himself, and the Living Water of the Holy Spirit, and then trust him to give me the regular bread without asking for it!? “Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water." John 4:10 He says, I feed the birds of the air and clothe the grass of the fields, how much more valuable are YOU!? I know you need these things, but instead, seek and ask for ME, the rest is already taken care of before time began!

"Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." Matthew 18:19-20

In this above scripture, I have believed that if two or more are gathered in His name, He is there in the midst of us to expedite our prayers. Just a tool for us to get the things we are praying for, right? Again, not that this is wrong, but what if we think of it in this way; When two or more are gathered together and what they are really asking for is HIM, Jesus Himself, so that they can BE with Him, and then, there He is in the midst of them? Then they could be in the presence of God and commune with the living God together! Wouldn't the other, temporal, requests already be addressed? Thinking again about the order of things… this is another wonderful focus shift! Seeking and acknowledging Him first, desiring Him above all else, to be with us, then the other things will be added! Oswald chambers says “…are we seeking the blessings of God, or God who has the blessings?” Another mind shift!!

In Mark 11:21-24 Jesus cursed the fig tree and it died and He said “Have faith in God, Jesus answered... and do not doubt” What are we to have faith in? And what are we not to doubt?? Jesus says God himself! This takes us back to the order of things, having faith in God first and do not doubt Him! He says plainly that we can do the same things that HE does, but maybe we are missing the most crucial first step!! Who did Jesus always acknowledge first and dedicate His life to... Whose WILL did Jesus always do? Who did He always surrender to? He came to do HIS FATHER’S will and not his own! He was always in the presence of God and surrendered to God’s will in everything, even in His death. What are we asking for and seeking? Our will or God's? “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” Luke 22:42

In John 14:11 He says “You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it."  This is another great scripture to dissect a bit more. He says He is in the Father and the Father is in Him, this implies an intimate knowledge of God, the first crucial step. Then, the Son is bringing glory to the Father. In what way is he bringing glory to the Father? Is it temporal or eternal? And, IN HIS NAME, we can do the same things. What does that really mean anyway, to do things in His name? Do we just say his name to put the stamp or seal of approval on our requests? Maybe? But what if, in His name means that we are just like HIM, the image of Christ, in that we are in the Father and the Father is in us, that we know the Father as He did, and we seek to bring Glory to the Father in all our requests? What are we asking, seeking, and knocking for? “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” John 17:3

"If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples." John 15:7-8

"You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name." John 15:16

John 15 says a couple of times that the Father will give us whatever we ask, but again, there is a caveat and an order to both of these statements. He says the first step is that I remain in HIM, THEN He will remain in me, THEN I can ask whatever I wish and it will be given to me. THEN you will bear much fruit. The key part of this scripture being that I am REMAINING in an eternal God and bearing much [eternal] fruit, glorifying God and showing myself to be His disciple. Then in the next scripture he says we will bear fruit that will last. So first, remain in Him, second bear fruit that will last, thirdly the father will give you what you ask in His name. Notice the order of things.

In this scripture He brings up the pagans again, those who don’t know Him. "And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him."  Matthew 6:7-8 If he already knows what we need, why are we praying for these things? Could it be that prayer is just conversation and intentional time with HIM? I think that He just wants us to want to be with HIM! To KNOW Him… so, what am I asking, seeking, and knocking for??

Hang in there with me, I only have a couple more scriptures to go, I feel like this is so important I can’t say it enough! It is like I must reformat my own hard drive and I need all the help I can get, lol!!

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.” Matthew 13:44 In this scripture a man found a treasure that was of great worth. What was this treasure?? He refers to the Kingdom of Heaven and is describing what it is like... so it must be an eternal “Kingdom” treasure? Could it be God Himself? Is God that treasure to us and is He worth so much to us that we would sell everything we have to have HIM? Wow. Very good question! This reminds me of the scripture of the rich young ruler who came to Jesus asking him what good thing must he do to have eternal life and Jesus said to him "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."  Matthew 19:20-21 He told the young man that he needed to let go of the temporal riches and trade those in for eternal (heavenly) treasure, maybe Christ himself? THEN he could follow Him. But the young man had quite the conundrum. He had to make a very hard choice but apparently, he desired the temporal riches over what Jesus was offering and he went away very sad, because he had great wealth and he didn't want to let it go.

The second part of that scripture is similar except it was a pearl of great value that the man sold everything he had to buy it. Again, I think we are being asked if Christ is our pearl? Are we willing to sell everything to gain Christ? “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it." Matthew 13:45

"Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:3 What is the desire of my heart?? He says He will give it to me! Again, there is an order listed here, the first part of this scripture is very key. If I trust in the Lord, do good and dwell in the land enjoying safe pasture, delighting myself in the LORD, THEN He will give me the desires of my heart. If I am delighting in Him, then wouldn't HE be the desire of my heart?? 

So again, what am I asking, seeking, and knocking for? Okay, hopefully I have made some sense here and helped you to see these scriptures a little differently. I know I do!!

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Luke 12:34

Father, I may not be where I need to be or truly where I want to be, desiring YOU and You alone, but that is my hearts desire, my goal and my journey is to know YOU and YOU alone. My flesh may fail, but my spirit recognizes my need for you in a much greater way! Please help me get to there! I want to sell everything I have for the treasure and pearl of great wealth and value, eternal wealth, that only YOU can provide. I know that only You can satisfy my deepest longings. May my hunger and thirst for you overshadow anything else this world can offer me and may YOU alone be my delight, my treasure and my pearl!

I listed this scripture at the beginning, does it have a different significance to you now?

“As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?” Psalm 42:1-2

A New Season... When one door shuts, another door opens

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.” John 14:1-2

Tom and I recently entered a new season in life! As of June 30, 2024 we are no longer innkeepers. The owners of the Inn had to make a difficult, but necessary, decision to close the B&B. The timing was good, and we were all ready for this to happen. We had been innkeepers for almost 15 years (since October 15th 2009) and God had been preparing our hearts for a while, so we were ready for this change. We just didn't know what the next step was, and as of this writing, we are still not sure of all that God has planned for us. 

When we were informed of this decision to close the Inn, we had no clue where we would go or what we would do, we were ready, we just didn’t have any answers yet, lol. The thing about being resident innkeepers is that our residence and our job are at the same place. So, we lost both our job and our home at the same time. We were thankful that we were given ample time to make a plan and find something else. They waited longer than they wanted to close the Inn because they did not want to put us out on the street. But I told them that God had a plan and they needed to take care of them first and foremost. Keeping the Inn open was causing them a great deal of stress and I wanted them to take care of themselves and I knew God would take care of us.

Interestingly their announcement came just days after I was scheduled for knee replacement surgery. I saw my orthopedic surgeon on Friday, May 10th, surgery was scheduled for August 5th, and they let us know about the Inn closing on the following Monday, May 13th. This was not bad luck but very much a part of God's plan. Getting deeper into the details, the surgery being scheduled made it so that I couldn't get a new job because I would be out of work for 6 weeks after the surgery for recovery and rehab, and who would hire me knowing that? Also, because most of our "compensation" at the Inn translated into free rent and utilities, our actual income was so low that I qualified for Medicaid, based on our poverty level income, and that coverage is what is paying for the knee surgery (btw, they had just changed the law in NC and this new law was effective as of December 2023! God’s perfect timing maybe??)  If I, or Tom, get a job it would kick me out of that income level and I would lose the coverage, and I would end up having to pay for the surgery out of pocket, which is not an option. So, we were in quite the pickle! Again, this was not an accident, mistake, or bad luck, but this was God's perfect plan. I felt like he "funneled" us into the direction He needed us to go.

“…And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” John 14:3

I have been working with an elderly woman, Gerry, who just turned 94 in July, since August of 2008. I work with her two days a week and lately she has been needing a little more care. I had been thinking she would need me another day and had talked with her about it but it hadn't happened just yet. When she found out about our situation, she was concerned that we would find a place to live that would be out of the area and I wouldn't be able to help her anymore. Initially when we got the news of the Inn closing, I got on LinkedIn and was looking at other innkeeper jobs and applied for a couple on the coast and in the mountain areas, just to see what would happen but not really expecting anything to come of it. I mentioned this to Gerry and she started getting a bit distressed thinking about me not being able to be with her anymore. But just like I told the owners of the Inn, she wanted us focus on us and what we needed and not to worry about her. Another aspect of this is, with the knee surgery, even if we found a place locally (we had a couple friends offer their homes for us to stay in) I would still be out of commission for 6 weeks and wouldn't be able to work with her then either. 

Gerry lives in a townhome that, initially when I first started working with her, she shared with her sister Faye. Faye lived on the second floor and Gerry lives on the first floor. Faye passed away in 2010 so the second floor has been unoccupied since then, except when she had family visiting from out of town. Over the years, if Tom and I got into an argument, I would joke with Gerry that I was moving in with her, lol. That has been something we had joked about but never considered seriously, until now. One morning, when Tom and I were still at the Inn, I was talking with a guest who was there looking to relocate to the area and we were sharing our stories and talking about how God will take care of us, but we just needed to wait for His perfect timing. It was then that I felt God say that we needed to be with Gerry. It was one of those very clear, goose pimply, God moments and I just knew that that was where we were supposed to be!! So, I called Gerry's daughter-in-law, she was the one who hired me to work for Gerry, and laid out our situation and asked if she would be ok with us approaching Gerry about living with her until we could get the surgery and recovery done. She was fine with it, but said the decision ultimately was Gerry's, and suggested that we determine an end date so Gerry wouldn't feel like we would be there forever. So, the next time I was with Gerry, I laid out our situation, and asked if she would be ok if we stayed with her until I could get back on my feet. I told her not to give me an answer right away but to pray about it and talk with her family over the weekend and let me know on Monday what her decision was. Well, she called me on Saturday and said she felt the same way as she did when I asked her on Thursday, that she wanted to help us out and that we could move in with her. Wow. Thank you, God!

We moved in on Sunday, June 30th and have been here for a month now. Since we have been here, Gerry has needed even more care for certain medical conditions that have occurred during this time and her family has said a few times just how glad they are that we are here with her now! In addition, now that we are here, when I have my surgery and recovery time, Tom will be here to take care of me and her! This has worked out so perfectly for both of us! We needed a place to stay and she needed someone to be here with her. Was this an accident?? No. Only God.

The next question is, after the knee surgery and recovery, what will we do? Will we stay here or will God move us somewhere else? My sense now is that we will stay because I think Gerry will continue to need more care as time goes by and it is just so much easier for us to be HERE with her. I do know we will get other jobs because Tom's social security check isn't even close to being enough. We lost the Inn income (rooms and tips) and, since we are not paying rent, I told Gerry not to pay me for the care I give her, so we lost over half of our overall income. Once my knee is healed, my options will open up more. I can work anywhere really, but I think I will look into helping other elderly people. I know there is a big need out there so I may look further into that…? This is just a thought, but I know that God will reveal in His perfect timing what He already has planned for us.

This is where we are now. August 3rd, and my knee surgery is just two days away! So, I am gearing up for that big event and will do what I need to do to get back on my feet. I felt like I needed to write this blog because it literally is the end of an era for us, and the beginning of a new one. God miraculously provided for us, opening the door at the Inn over 14 years ago, providing a place for us after we were nomadic for 15 months. Back then the journey was quite stressful, bordering on terrifying, and incredibly life changing, in a good way. We have learned so much about God and ourselves while we were at the Inn that we are certainly not the same people, but we are continuously being transformed. He opened the door then, and He has closed it now. But the journey is certainly NOT over! The cool part is that, compared to the journey into the Inn, we can see just how much our faith and trust in God has increased and our anxiety level has, very noticeably, decreased as we watch Him work, moving us into this next season. (If you are interested in reading about our journey into the Inn, you can find it here: Caterpillar's to Butterfly's )

Yesterday's Oswald was good for this topic:

The Teaching of Adversity - John 16:33

“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.”

The typical view of the Christian life is that it means being delivered from all adversity. But it actually means being delivered in adversity, which is something very different. ...

If you are a child of God, you will certainly encounter adversities, but Jesus says you should not be surprised when they come. "In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." He is saying, "There is nothing for you to fear." ...

God does not give us overcoming life --- He gives us life as we overcome. The strain of life is what builds our strength. If there is no strain, there will be no strength. Are you asking God to give you life, liberty, and joy? He cannot, unless you are willing to accept the strain. And once you face the strain, you will immediately get the strength....

God never gives us strength for tomorrow, or for the next hour, but only for the strain of the moment. Our temptation is to face adversities from the standpoint of our own common sense. But a saint can "be of good cheer" even when seemingly defeated by adversities, because victory is absurdly impossible to everyone, except God.

Father, thank you so much for your amazing attention to details and your care for us! You truly are an incredible loving father who wants, most of all, for us to KNOW you through our circumstances! Thank you for the PEACE that comes from knowing that You are always with me and that Your plan is perfect and my life’s needs have been known by you and provided for long before time began. There are NO accidents or mistakes, just Your amazing plan and timing. With all of my love, Linda

(The pictures I have inserted were all taken at the B&B while we were there… we have hundreds, if not thousands, of them so these are just a few of the favorites)

Extra Credit Reading:

I felt like I would be remiss if I didn’t share just how amazing being at the B&B was. The owner and I would joke, and tell people/guests that, while we made a great team together, Tom and I got the better end of the deal because we got to stay in her beautiful B&B for free and she had to pay all the bills!! Her B&B was truly amazing and the yard was spectacular! It was over 6 acers with a pond, and for a while she had a wonderful swan named Romeo that made the pond look majestic. Unfortunately, he passed away in 2016. The nature we got to see on a daily basis was always breathtaking. The kitchen sink window looked out over the pond and, while I was doing the dishes, I got to see so many wonderful things in nature; The critters, the weather, the sunrises, the changing of the seasons… It was all so nice. I also LOVED working in the yard, with the flowers and the critters, it was very therapeutic for me.

I also enjoyed making the breakfasts for the guests! I was making healthy breakfasts for Tom and I before working at the Inn so it was easy for me to shift into breakfasts for the guests. My people pleasing and approval seeking tendencies worked well in this area, lol! I found a lot of easy and wonderful “guest pleasing” recipes and some became regular staples. But I really liked it when guests had dietary restrictions that I had to find new and unique recipes for. It helped break up the repetition of the “regular” fare. When I had a little bit of extra time and energy, I would find, and try out, new and interesting recipes on the guests and made them my guinea pigs, lol. They didn’t seem to mind it too much.

Of course, we wouldn’t have even had a job if it wasn’t for the guests themselves. We had SO many God appointments I lost count and we came to believe that everyone who walked through the door of the Inn was brought there by God, whether we talked about God or not, they were served, loved and prayed for. God’s presence at that Inn was so peaceful and calming, many guests said they slept better there than at any other time. And there were many times I would walk away from those God appointment conversations just blown away by what God just did. The guests truly were the best part of our job. In almost 15 years I can honestly say that most of the guests were amazing, wonderful, and very special people. We made so many new friends and we hope to stay in touch with several of them.

The reason we were “ready” to move to the next season in our life was mainly due to feeling like we were “aging out” of the job, lol. I will be 64 this year, and Tom is 66, and we were so busy all the time, the work was constant, and we were always having to be “on” 24/7… I guess we were just feeling burned out. That, and the fact that my knee was getting worse and preventing me from doing the things I would normally be able to do.

The owners of the Inn are amazing, kind, thoughtful and generous people, with a fun, silly streak, and it was an honor and a privilege to have been able to work for them for so long. I know that God has them, and us, in His Hands and we look forward to seeing what He will do next.