God Understands...

In all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:6

Have you ever read the Bible and thought, God doesn't understand? Like, he has all of this great advice, but life is hard, and the positive vibes just don't match your circumstances? Or, maybe it feels like He is just telling you to blow off your current situation and move through it, but you are struggling to make that work. When you read His words, they sound more like commands from a distant God than a friendly gesture from a friend who knows what you are going through.

Real talk, before I built a relationship with the Holy Spirit, I read the Bible as if it were a war doctrine rather than a love story. I saw every action and request like they were from someone who cared about obedience but didn't really care about me. It wasn't until I delved deeper into God's character that I learned to read the Bible in a new way. Where I once saw a God who was far away and cared nothing for my human struggles, I found, through the journey of Jesus, a God who comes down to our level and truly understands our suffering. TBH, I think many people have encountered Biblical Counseling that feels a lot like that. Pastoral care devoid of recognizing how hard it is to know how to pray, or to follow doctrine when we can barely breathe.

But, friend, God DOES understand. And what I found, when I truly learned to read from the perspective of His overarching love for us, is that God doesn't just issue commands - He extends compassion. If we read past the sound bites so often spoon-fed in devotionals and sermon series, we see that God follows up every ask with relationship - even in the Old Testament.

Most of us have heard or read Mathew 6:34 where Jesus finishes talking about being worried for things like clothing and food and the promises of God, and tells them, "so, don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things." Then it follows up with a line we rarely hear: "Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."

Jesus isn't ignoring the fact that today is hard or that what is coming tomorrow is also hard. He acknowledges that there is trouble. They were living under Roman occupation. They could be beaten, arrested, or even killed for very little. Think of your town being taken over by a foreign military, although you could go to work and even to church, soldiers are walking the streets with guns draped over their shoulders. They can confiscate anything, say anything, accuse you of anything, hit you at any time with the butt of their rifle, and arrest you for anything, where you would be starved, beaten, and whipped. Every day you live knowing that these things are possibilities for you and everyone you love. On top of that, you had to pay them a portion of everything you made or lose everything you had, including your freedom. Imagine the stress of everyday life living in that kind of environment!

Jesus wasn't ignoring the struggle. He was helping us through it.

By telling us to focus on only what is in front of us, trusting God for anything necessary we may be lacking, he is teaching us how to have both peace and hope.

When we only look at what is in front of us today and learn to have peace by choosing to trust God with our basic needs, we aren't ignoring problems; we are simply reducing the load we carry. It is easier to choose trust moment by moment, day by day. It is less of a burden to carry the trouble of today versus the trouble of the week or the year.

Reflection and Action: I encourage you to read the Portion of Mathew 6 that talks about God's provision and trust. This speaks to hopefulness and expectations in 2026. Hope for the future, but don't worry about it. Make your plans, but let God order your steps. Focus on what is in front of you. Ask Him your next step for today. Wake in the morning and take on only the troubles today offers, laying even them at the feet of the cross, focusing on what Jesus says is important to focus on (Righteousness and our relationship with God). CHOOSE (even when it feels impossible) to trust Him in what the Bible, through the very words of Jesus, says He will provide. Meditate on those words, chew on them over and over this week, so that they will be written on your heart, not just a passing thought. Start a conversation with the Holy Spirit about any fears or doubts that come up and test them against the words you read. Allow his voice to be the loudest in the room.

This is how scripture helps us to maintain peace.

Not by ignoring the struggle, but by inviting Him into it.

One day at a time.

May the God of peace go with you into this week!