Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

Matthew 6:27 (NLT)

Have you ever faced a difficult situation or tragedy and thought—If only I had known this was going to happen? In that moment or in the days and weeks afterward, you might have felt that if you had known what was going to happen, you would have been better prepared to handle it.

I remember my father saying this a few months after he had to have his leg amputated because of diabetes. As someone used to being in control, I believe he felt that if he had known earlier, he would have been better physically, emotionally, and definitely financially prepared to handle life as an amputee. At the time, I remember agreeing that it would have been nice to know in advance and be better prepared.

But I later started to wonder what it would be like to know in advance that something bad was going to happen. Would we actually use that knowledge and take the days before it occurred to prepare ourselves for it?

Actually, in most cases, I believe that if we knew something bad was going to happen, we would spend most of our time worrying ourselves to death about it.

I can only imagine how the days between Jan. 2, 1994, and Aug. 11, 1994, would have felt if God had told me on Jan. 1, 1994, that I was going to have my accident. I might have tried to learn more about quadriplegia, but ultimately, every day would have been filled with growing dread and anxiety.

It is understandable that during difficult times, we wish we had the control that prior knowledge might have provided. It is frightening to face change without knowing what will happen next.

But, instead of futilely wishing we had only known, we can trust in the One who knows.

God is all, sees all, and knows all. Whether rain or shine, in darkness or daylight, over mountains or in valleys, he is beside us, guiding our path and holding our hand so we will never fall. His power is all-encompassing, and if we rest in his arms, we will be safe and secure.

This life may not always be easy, but when resting in his arms, it can be filled with peace and joy. There is no place better than the shelter of his grace.

Lord, when we can’t understand why some things are happening in our lives, help us hold on to the knowledge that you love us and want your best for us. Help us to trust in your infinite wisdom and find peace in knowing that whatever is going on is part of your divine plan for our lives. Amen.