Little Faith, Big God

The Internet Cafe welcomes Joann Shumaker back to the cafe today!

…for your Heavenly Father knows that you are in need of all these things".

Matthew 6:32b

$10,000! Letters and phone calls came to the house demanding that we pay this amount to the hospital where I recently had surgery. I was struggling to make sense of the insurance forms, hospital and doctor bills, while trying to recover from a major surgery. We had fought with the insurance company to pay over $500,000 in bills so far.

Why did we still have to fight them for this amount, seemingly small in comparison?

We started to pray and ask God to intervene in taking care of this situation. A month later, our answer came in the mail. It was a letter from some friends from our college days. They heard that I had surgery and wrote to tell us they were praying and would like to help out with a gift. In the envelope I found a check for $10,000!

I could just hear the Father saying, "O what little faith you have! Did you forget that I know all these things and will care for you?" In my Bible, Matthew 6 is appropriately titled, "The cure for anxiety." God gives us all the hope we need in that one small section of the Bible.

He shows us how small our cares and worries are in comparison to His care and supply for us. Whether it is money or material goods, God can provide these things for us, just as He takes care of all of His Creation.

If you are struggling with anxiety over medical bills, house payments, or future plans, God has given you hope and peace in this short passage of Scripture to calm your hearts and turn your focus toward Him. Look for ways God is showing His care for you in the everyday, small ways and trust Him to take care of all the rest.

"Father, help me to remember your promises of provision, even when the outlook seems bleak. May I remember that how you care for your Creation is how you will care for me."

What monetary, medical, or relationship struggles are you going through?

How has God revealed Himself to you in the midst of these struggles?

Are you looking for ways that He is showing His care for you?

In Him,
Joanna

After moving from coast to coast for much of her 19 years of marriage, Joanna and her husband Dave are now settled in Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania where she is a busy mom, coach, writer, photographer and administrator (of the family schedule!) Between keeping up with her children’s schedules and coaching with her husband, she finds time to write devotionals and bible studies for women. She grew up in a Christian environment where her family’s faith in God prepared her for life. She came to know the Lord at a very young age which is the basis for continued growth and understanding of who God is and what He has done for her.

After experience her own disillusionment in life, Joanna has a desire for sharing hope and healing for other women who are experiencing the same. Her devotionals focus on the goodness of God in the midst of disillusionment, difficulty, and trials. She writes for two online magazines, Christian Devotions and Catapult Magazine. You can read her message of hope and healing on her blog at www.renewingyourspirit.wordpress.com

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