Following the fourth Wiseman- those who believe are truly free

March 27, 2025 carriedinthecrossLeave a comment

Our traveler is amazed as he ponders all the things the priests complained about the Messiah saying.

John 5:19-21, 24 ESV
[19] So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. [20] For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel. [21] For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will.
[24] Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
He had never heard such words before. Now we who believe have passed from death to life. It is so simple. All the sacrifices at the temple, vanished with the words the King spoke. He would free them from judgment by His own power. Our traveler stopped for a moment.

“But how? What sacrifice will take the place of all of these?”

We know that Jesus is God. Yet there were many back in Jesus’s time and there are still many now who want to claim otherwise. They say He was just a nice man, a prophet, a magician, a rebel, an outlaw. People are afraid of Jesus. His purity and complete love and forgiveness is so different from what this broken world shows and teaches that people don’t want to touch it. It scares them. Yet despite that Jesus keeps reaching out. Like a person reaching toward a dog that does not understand good intentions, Jesus relentlessly stretches towards us. Just like that dog we bite at His hand and run away. But because He loves us He chases after us. Paitent and determined. He is always reaching out, all you have to do is reach back.

Christianity · Devotional · dreams do come true · encouragement · free · guidance · Jesus · Love · no longer lost · power of God · Prayer · searching · still fighting

Following the fourth Wiseman- Even from a distance He is close to us

March 23, 2025 carriedinthecrossLeave a comment

A young child bumps into our traveler on the street. He looks up, his eyes all lit with the joy of play and apologizes before running off. Our traveler smiles and begins to carry on his way when he hears two women speaking.

“It’s so wonderful to see him running like that again.” Says one woman.

“Yes. He’s such a nice boy. Polite and thoughtful. If he had not made it it would have crushed his family.” Replies the other.

“But how he lived is the amazing part. I heard that he was blessed by that man who is traveling and healing people.”

“Yes. And He did not even come to the house.”

Our traveler walks over to the two women and asks them if they would be willing to tell him what they had heard?

John 4:46-53 ESV
[46] So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill. [47] When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. [48] So Jesus said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” [49] The official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” [50] Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way. [51] As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was recovering. [52] So he asked them the hour when he began to get better, and they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” [53] The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” And he himself believed, and all his household.

Our traveler smiles, thanks the women and walks away. He has healed someone. He was not even close by and He healed this child. Our traveler shakes his head, he is always so close and yet still he can’t seem to catch up to the Messiah.

We think that Jesus has to be physically present to preform miracles. We feel at times that if we do not feel Him close by He is not there to help us. But that is never true. Jesus is as close as the mention of His name. We do not have to lay hands on a person for our prayers to make a difference, because Jesus is with all of us, always. Jesus loves us. He can heal and save even if we are not near the person we are praying for, and even if we do not feel His presence, He is always right here! What a savior He is.

Christianity · encouragement · free · guidance · Jesus · Love · no longer lost · power of God · Prayer · searching · still fighting · The Bible · True Joy

Following the fourth Wiseman- the well

March 22, 2025 carriedinthecrossLeave a comment

Our traveler sits on the edge of a well, wiping cool water across his face. He drinks from the well and then gives water to his camel who drinks deeply from the water satchel that the man holds. Suddenly a woman comes up to him and shakes his arm. In horror he almost drops the satchel. People in these parts were dangerous to his people, even the women could be a threat.

“W-what is it you want?” Our traveler stutters.

The woman, her face filled with a glow states excitedly. “Have you yet heard of the man? He told me everything I ever did!”

Intrigued and with a suspicion of who the man might be, our traveler asks her to tell her story.

John 4:7, 9-10, 14, 32, 34-35 ESV
[7] A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.”
[9] The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) [10] Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”
[14] but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

She shuddered with excitement and continued, saying, “so I ran to the village and told all the people.”

John 4:29 ESV
[29] “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?”

“Can you believe that!?!”

Our traveler smiles, “oh yes. I can believe it. Which way did He go?”

The woman points and our traveler takes his camel’s halter and leads him once again in the footsteps of the Messiah.

Can you imagine? It’s a typical day. You go to draw water like every day. There’s a man there, but that’s not strange. Suddenly He speaks to you. A person of low social standing and of a part of the country that is hostile with His part of the country. Not only does He speak, but He speaks in riddles. You’re confused, possibly irritable and then you look into His eyes as He says John 4:26 ESV
[26] Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.”
You can see from the light and kindness in His eyes that He is not crazy or cruel and teasing. He’s telling you the truth. He is the one you have waited for. More than that. He has come to speak to you. A lowly and sinful woman from a people who have been told they are less, unwanted, unloved even by the master. (Not completely Unjustly, the Samaritans had been known to attack Jews when they came to their cities.) Now you stand face to face with the God you had been told would not love you. What does He say? I will give you living water. I am the Messiah you have waited for. He tells you that you are welcome to come and be part of His Kingdom. There we see Jesus. Reaching out to those who hated Him and were hated by others. There we see the haters and the hated change and be renewed as people who seek and love God. Drink of the living water and never thirst again.

Christianity · Devotional · encouragement · guidance · Jesus · lent · Love · no longer lost · power of God · searching · still fighting · The Bible · True Joy

Following the fourth Wiseman- John 3:16

March 21, 2025 carriedinthecrossLeave a comment

We find Our traveler sitting on the beach today. His eyes are looking at the clear water and the way the breeze moves it, but they are not focused on that. His mind has full control over him, he has heard words from His Messiah through a passerby. The words were nothing he had ever experienced before, and he now can do nothing but sit and think on them.

John 3:16-21 ESV
[16] “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. [17] For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. [18] Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. [19] And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. [20] For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. [21] But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

What was your first thought when you read this verse for the very first time? For God so loved the world. He have us Jesus. We wouldn’t give our place in a Tim’s lineup to people, and God gave us who are so unworthy, His Son. He sent Jesus to save the world. God knew what Jesus had to say would be hard to swallow. He know that people would feel like they were being condemned to death by how narrow the path is, so Jesus reminded us that He came to save the world. He is the light. Yes, the path is narrow, but it is possible for those who know and love Jesus. Run to the Light. Run toward Jesus. This verse, John 3:16-21 is the whole gospel in a nut shell. Jesus came to save us because He loves us and we weren’t making it on our own. He came to be a light to show us the way. The only way to Heaven is by knowing and loving Jesus. Those who love their sin will hate Jesus and will hate those who love Him. But Jesus will continue to shine bright, so even those who once hated Him can come to love Him. Those who love Him, walk in light.
We quote John 3:16 to the place where it’s almost over used. Non Christians quote it as a joke. Athletes put it on their jerseys (which is wonderful). It’s written in the air by sky writers during big events. We hear it all the time. But do we take it in? How do we feel? How did you feel when you first read this verse? Do you still feel like that? Our traveler is lost in his thoughts of overwhelm because of the mesmerizing words. Do these words still overwhelm us? Or have we forgotten how precious they are?

Christianity · Devotional · encouragement · guidance · Jesus · Love · no longer lost · power of God · Prayer · searching · still fighting · The Bible · True Joy

Following the fourth Wiseman- the wedding

March 18, 2025 carriedinthecrossLeave a comment

We find Our traveler sitting down at a small outdoor food stall. He sips his water and tears at his bread, but his ears are alert! Something has been on the air. A buzz of some sort of gossip. He has heard small bits and peices but has yet to hear the whole tale. Yet, he knows in his bones that the word that is being spread is about his Messiah. A small boy stumbles past and our traveler reaches out to catch his arm.

“Whose house do you serve in child?” Our Traveler asks.

The boy looks carefully at the stranger and sees he has gentle eyes. “I serve the bread maker sir.”

Our traveler smiles, “is there any chance you were at the wedding that happened recently?”

The boy pulls away, “my master forbids me to speak of it.”

Our traveler is confused, “but why? I heard something wonderful happened.”

The boy grins, “wonderful and mysterious.” He looks around, “there…was a miracle.”

Our traveler leans closer to the child and drops his voice, “really?”

“Yes. Not just any miracle, but one like stories from the days of our ancestors. Let me tell you what I heard and saw.”

John 2:7-11 ESV
[7] Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. [8] And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. [9] When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom [10] and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” [11] This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.
Our traveler smiles, “do you know who the man was?”

The boy shakes his head, “One of the guests I suppose.”

Our traveler thanks the boy for his tale and gives him some money. As the child leaves our traveler whispers to him, “imagine, if that guest were someone great. Perhaps even, the Messiah.”

The boy looks at our traveler with a show of shock and then a smile creeps over his face, “yes. Imagine of he were.”

The feast at Cana was not really supposed to be the first sign. Jesus Himself says so. If you asked me I would say that the first sign was the fish overflowing the nets. However, the water turned to wine is considered the first sign. Jesus’s time was not yet, however His mother insisted He help when the risk of public ridicule loomed by the wine running out early. Jesus was pure, meaning He obeyed His human mother and showed His first public miracle. Many have tried to show how He might have done this. Many have found suggestions. Yet the truth is He turned water into wine by His authority over the earth. A true miracle. For those who want to claim it ws a trick, it would be nice if someone reminded them that no one expected the wine to run out and that Jesus would have to change the water. Even the greatest magician needs time and planning. This could not have been set up. Also, there were witnesses. Up close where they could see all that was happening, not in a crowded room from down in the bleachers wher you cant really see what is being done. There was no chance for slight of hand. This was a miracle. No matter what people say. Jesus began His signs and wonders with this insignificant problem. Which reminds us of how loved we are. Even when we run out of drink at a wedding Jesus cares enough to provide.

Christianity · Devotional · dreams do come true · encouragement · free · guidance · Jesus · lent · Love · no longer lost · power of God · Prayer · searching · still fighting · The Bible · True Joy

Following the fourth Wiseman- the tax collector

March 14, 2025 carriedinthecrossLeave a comment

Matthew 9:9-13 ESV
[9] As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him. [10] And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples.

Our traveler was shocked and stood in sadness at what he had been told. The Messiah he was looking for, the one he had just considered following once he found Him, He was acting like one who was not pure. Our traveler was angry with himself for all the years he had spent. For the true Messiah was to be Holy, yet this man sat with the sinner.

The two men accounting what they had heard and seen of the calling of the deciples spoke calmy to our traveler.
“Just wait. We are not yet finished in our tellings. Sit, please.”

Though still upset, our traveler sat down again and listened as his companions began speaking again.

[11] And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” [12] But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. [13] Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Our traveler’s eyes felt warm as he held back his tears. He realized in those simple words, that he too would be welcome at the table of Jesus. He was a righteous man, one who sacrificed to God and honored Him. Yet he knew that he was broken and full of sin. There were days when he felt no amount of sacrifice could pay for his guilt. Yet the King he sought after was seeking out the lost and those broken by sin and was offering them a chance to change, He was offering love and hope. He was not impure, He was not making Himself unclean and sinning with those who had chosen to not serve God. He was offering to those who were ready to let go and come to Him a way out from their pain.

“I too am a sinner. I have worried about when I meet Him because of this. Yet now I know that I be with Him and He will help me change.” Our Traveler stated through a mix of joy and tears.

The other two men smiled and nodded their heads, they had been where he was and had gone from anger to peace at the realization of what Jesus had meant.

There have been so many who want to claim the tax collector’s table. They say, “Jesus will welcome me there just as I am.” But then they go no further. They remain at the table of the sinners. Yes, Jesus is sitting there, but He will not remain there. Jesus is sitting at that table because it is the place the broken are willing to come, but He has planned a better table with a great banquet, yet to be seated at this table you must be willing to change.
Here Jesus calls Himself the physician there to heal the sick. You do not seek out a health care professional so they can say, “ya you’re fine, go on the way you are.” You seek them out so they can tell you your illness and help cure you from it. If I go to a doctor and he says, “I can’t see anything wrong with you.” I not only feel like I have wasted my time but I also question his qualifications.
Jesus was not saying, “I like sinners and their sinning and I want to sin with them.” He was not saying, “I see you and don’t judge you.” He was definitely not saying, “you be you bo.” He was saying, “yes these people are sinners, but I love them and have come to heal them.”
The calling of Matthew was a radical move. But look closely. Jesus calls Matthew and Matthew gives up his tax booth and leaves all of that behind and follows Jesus. Matthew is exactly who we are supposed to be. We are all sinners. All of us. The fact that Jesus will forgive us and let us come to Him, that’s what’s amazing.
Imagine being Matthew. Everyone hates you. Your people hate you because you cheat from them and work for the Roman’s. The Roman’s hate you because you’re not Roman. Then one day someone looks you in the eye and says. I love you. Follow me.
Amazing.
Guess what? He loves you. Follow Him.

Christianity · Devotional · encouragement · free · Jesus · lent · Love · no longer lost · power of God · Prayer · searching · still fighting · The Bible · True Joy

Following the fourth Wiseman- The calling of the first deciples

March 11, 2025 carriedinthecrossLeave a comment

The calling of the deciples.

Our traveler walks in disappointed silence. He was sure that he would the Messiah in the nearest city to where the man in the camel skins had been proclaiming about him. Yet, when our Wiseman reached the city he found no one. He searched for days and was left with nothing to shore for his effort. He had then made his way to back to the oasis he had seen the man. From a fair distance he could make him out and someone was with him. A thrill went up the spine of our traveler as he felt in his spirit that this was the man, this was who had been searching for.
All weariness left our traveler as he pulled on his camel and began running toward the people in the distance. A clap of thunder sounded and in terror the camel turned and bolted. Our traveler’s hand was bound in the animal’s tethers and he was dragged behind him away from his Messiah. He screamed and cried in desperation, trying to peel the leather from his hand and return to his King, but it was no use. All he could do was try his best to calm the charging animal and pray that it would not harm him in its panic.

After several hours he returned to only find two men walking past the spot he had seen his Messiah. He asked them where they were going and if they had seen the man in camel hair and the other who was with him.
The two men laughed, “seen them? Of course we’ve seen them, did you not hear what happened?”
Our traveler shook his head and the men sat him down, offered him water and food, and began to tell their story.
They too had seen Jesus baptized.

John 1:35-39 ESV
[35] The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, [36] and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” [37] The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. [38] Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” [39] He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.

The men exchanged excited looks, “but that’s not all. We were curious and chose to follow behind a ways. You will not believe what happened next!”

Luke 5:3-11 ESV
[3] Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. [4] And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” [5] And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” [6] And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. [7] They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. [8] But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” [9] For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, [10] and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” [11] And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.
Our traveler sat in rapture at the tales the two men shared. So the man he was seeking was gathering an army? To overthrow Rome perhaps? But, why these men? Two followers of a man who liked to live in the wilderness and a set of common fishermen. These were not the men he thought a King would use to begin his army. He shook his head. Who was he to judge who would be a good soldier and who would not. What was important was that the Messiah was there. He was closer now than he had ever been to finally meeting him.

We can never tell why God will permit us to draw close to something we long for only to make us wait. How often have we been our traveler? Longing to reach out and touch our vision only to be pulled away by something else?
When our traveler sees Jesus from a distance and all his weariness fades away and he begins to run to Him, that is how I see heaven. We finally reach the finish line. We are weary from the fight to survive this world. Then we see Jesus. All the pain, sadness and fear leaves our bodies and we run, we run with everything we have in us and He lifts us up, spins us around and holds us tight as we laugh together. The road is simply what we walk until we reach Jesus face to face. It can be hard and it can hurt, but in the end, paradise.

Christianity · Devotional · dreams do come true · encouragement · free · guidance · Jesus · lent · Love · power of God · Prayer · searching · still fighting · The Bible

Following the fourth Wiseman- Waiting on prophecies

March 9, 2025 carriedinthecrossLeave a comment

Luke 1:7, 11-17 ESV
[7] But they had no child because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.
[11] And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. [12] And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. [13] But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. [14] And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, [15] for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or a strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. [16] And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, [17] and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”
Before the dove and the voice of God. Before the imprisonment. Before the beheading. There was a prophecy. John fully fulfilled the prophecy of the angel. We have prophecies in the Bible we are still waiting to be fulfilled. We are still waiting for the day when they come to pass. In the waiting we, like Zachariah, may doubt the word of the Lord. But we must not doubt. Not because God will strike us mute for nine months, but because we are not people who have seen the angels face to face, our doubt can turn into something serious and terrible, we can turn away from God. It’s hard not to doubt when a prayer is a long time in being answered, or a prophecy seems to be impossible, but that is why we have faith. We choose to trust. We choose to not believe the lies in our head and the lies of those around us. We hold to faith. We wait on the prophecies of Jesus returning for us. We wait and watch and hope, knowing that the same God who fulfilled the impossible prophecies of the past, will also fulfill the prophecies of the future. Our Wiseman we follow this lent season is searching after a prophecy, one he has searched after for thirty years. Yet, he refuses to give up, because he knows in his heart that he is searching for life, for truth, for the King, for the Messiah, for Jesus.

Christianity · Devotional · encouragement · free · guidance · holy spirit · Jesus · Love · no longer lost · power of God · Prayer · searching · still fighting · The Bible

Packing for the road part 1

February 17, 2025 carriedinthecrossLeave a comment

Acts 17:28-31 ESV
[28] for “‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, “‘For we are indeed his offspring.’ [29] Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. [30] The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, [31] because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

There are so many these days who want to jump in and claim that every tiny thing is a sign of the end. In fact there have been signs of the end off and on since Jesus died, was it not Paul who said that we are now living in the last days?
We can be afraid of what we see around us or we can look to God and His word. Petra has a song called last days. They say in it, that the last days are the final craze. It’s so true. These days we have had are crazy. It feels like people are losing their common sense let alone their sanity. When walking through the valley it can be easy to look at the crooked trees and the shadows. But if you look too long you will find that you have wandered off the path after them and now you are trapped. Don’t worry. The good shepherd has had lots of practice pulling his sheep from bramble. When these days come we need to focus on Jesus and only Him. He is the light that will guide us.
You will need five things to get you to the other side of the valley. Think of this as your ‘what to bring’ list for the road.

First you will need a map.
You will hear many people and preachers tell you things that sound true, yet the only way to know if they are truly true is to listen to God Himself. Take everything you hear and test it against the Bible.
I love my Bible. It has a nice big concordance in the back where I can look up every scripture on most topics. If I hear something I need clarity on, or something that just doesn’t sound right, I reach for my Bible and find the answers God gave us. The walk can be long and everything can begin to look the same, but a good map will show you the right way. You look at it and see the trees, mountains, rivers. You can tell by the landmarks which way to follow and what to avoid. God has always been the greatest cartographer, He has given us a map that does not simply show us where to go, but also how to get there. There is no fastest route on this map, it will be a long journey, life usually is, but you will get to your destination. When you get there you will not hear, “you have arrived.” You will hear, “well done good and faithful servant.”
Don’t forget to pack your map.

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What does it mean to trust?

January 6, 2025 carriedinthecross1 Comment

What does it mean to trust?

I was asked recently how to release all one’s fears to God and to rest. In truth. I was in a dark space and the typical pat answers we usually give people did not feel like enough. I said, “I don’t really know. I’m still figuring it out.” For me. If I go out for a hike or a long walk and put on my power praise music I find the Holy Spirit’s presence drives out the dark. But as soon as I go back inside and turn the music off the clouds come again.
Recently I had a terrible case of covid. This new strain is no joke. I truly felt I would die about four times before the sun started peaking through and I began to recover. My case has been so bad that for a week I physically did not have the strength to move around much. I was too dizzy to do anything for myself and I spent two weeks on the couch watching Christmas movies and sleeping. Never have I been sick like this. Next week I have my first math exam for my college courses. It has been a terrifying challenge for me and the reason I fell into such a slump of depression. Over Christmas we were supposed to study for our exam. I couldn’t. I tried to. Really hard. But I was too sick. I couldn’t figure it out. Why would God let me get sick? Yet during this time of forced rest I learned the answer to the question I had been asked earlier. To truly let go and rest in God’s peace, you have to actually let go. Release it all. Stop striving and let it slip into God’s hands. A devotional I read once said, to rest is to trust God. We feel rest is lazy. We feel we should be doing something. But rest is letting God take over, trusting that God will take care of it all even when we do nothing. Does that mean I am not studying hard these days to make up for the time missed? No. But I am not trusting in myself for the success. I am trusting that God will help me succeed with His power. I am doing what I am doing because I trust His will. It is in His hands.
To trust is to rest in God’s peace and strength. He does not need our fear and striving. He wants our trust.