Our Daily Bread: We Are FamilyПример

Keeping Track of God’s Faithfulness The Lord your God has given you the land. . . . Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. -Deuteronomy 1:21 NIV Before my husband and I surrendered our lives to Christ, we seriously considered divorce. But after committing to love and obey God, we recommitted to each other. We sought wise counsel and invited the Holy Spirit to transform us individually and as a couple. Our heavenly Father continues to help us develop healthy communication skills. He’s teaching us how to love and trust Him—and one another as a family unit—no matter what happens. Yet, even as we head toward celebrating our twenty-ninth anniversary, I occasionally forget everything God has done in and through our trials as a family. Sometimes, I struggle with a deep-seated fear of the unknown—experiencing unnecessary anxiety instead of relying on God’s track record in our lives. In Deuteronomy 1, Moses affirmed the Lord’s reliability. He encouraged the Israelites to move forward in faith so they could enjoy their inheritance (v. 21). But God’s people demanded details about what they’d be up against and what they’d receive before committing to trust Him with their future (vv. 22–33). Believers in Jesus aren’t immune to succumbing to fear or anxiety. Worrying about what difficulties we may or may not encounter can keep us from depending on faith and may even damage our relationships with God and others. But the Holy Spirit can help us keep track of God’s past faithfulness. He can empower us with courageous confidence in God’s trustworthiness, as Jesus Christ is “the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). Xochitl & Dr. W. Alan Dixon, Sr. What trials have you overcome as a family? How can recalling how God helped you overcome them remind you to trust in Him more fully? Loving God, thank You for affirming that we don’t need to know everything that lies ahead when we know You. Thank You for being the One who never changes and always keeps His promises.