“Stop striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted on the earth.”

It’s easy to go through life thinking we have to make everything happen—make our business grow, make ourselves get well, make our child do right. There’s this constant pressure to fix something, to improve in some area, so we live striving, trying to force doors to open, to do better, to work harder. There’s no rest, no peace inside. You weren’t created to live that way. As long as you’re in this striving mode, trying to fix everything, you’re not going to know that He’s God, and you’re not going to see His favor and His goodness as you should.

It’s very freeing when you realize that if you keep God first place, He’ll bring what you need. All the striving does is to wear you out, causing you to feel overwhelmed, keeping you awake at night, giving you digestive problems. Take the pressure off. You can’t make people do what’s right, make your coworker like you, make your finances turn around. Your job is to be your best each day, to honor God, and He will bring dreams to pass.

“Father, thank You that I can stop striving and know that You are God. Help me to stop trying to change what only You can change and stop trying to fix things over which I have no control. I declare that I’m going to stay in peace and know that You are in control. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”