Have you ever felt so overwhelmed by the cares of this world that you are no longer hearing from God? Our daily routines in life can become so busy and overcrowded that we have little or no time to seek Him as we should. Many things in this world compete for our attention, and we can easily be led astray by the many distractions and hindrances that we face.

In Mark 4:19, Jesus warns that “the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the Word, making it unfruitful.” We need to beware of these traps (after all, they can be very subtle!) because they cause much damage! We want nothing to become so consuming to us that it chokes out to truth of God’s Word in our lives.

Hebrews 12 tells us to “throw off” everything that hinders us and to fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. God wants us to stay focused on Him, with a strong, healthy view of the world we live in. How is this possible with our busy schedules? How can we stay balanced and focused in this fast-paced world?

As believers, God speaks to us through His Word and addresses how we should face the cares of this world:

1. The worries of this life: Many times in the Bible, we are told not to worry. Worry can cause health problems, consume our thoughts and stop us from trusting God as we should. Philippians 4:6-7 tells us what to do when we become anxious or worried. It says, “DO NOT be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” In other words, we need to turn our worries into prayers and trust God with our concerns!

2. The deceitfulness of wealth: Money is a necessary factor in life, but it is not meant to consume us. In 1 Timothy 6:10 the Bible tells us the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Money can be a distraction and cause us to lose focus on God’s plan for our life. A godly perspective on wealth would be to give generously, be thankful and content and to love people more than money. Remember, it is the LOVE of money that causes problems!

3. The cravings or desires for other things: A craving is a longing, hunger, thirst, urge or greed for something. We are distracted by many THINGS in this world and can easily get caught up in addictions or unhealthy desires. Things like food, shopping and sports can take over our lives. Jesus said in Matthew 6:19, “Do NOT store up for yourselves treasures on earth...but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” God wants to bless us with the desires of our heart, but He wants us to focus more on the eternal than the temporary things of life.

Our perspective is so important in staying balanced and living a life united to others and obedient to God. The Bible tells us that God will meet our needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19). When we TRUST Him as we should, we will not be hindered by or overly concerned with the cares of this world!

In your quiet time this week ask God to speak to your heart regarding your views and thoughts toward the things of this world.

1. Read David’s prayer in Psalms 139:23-24.

2. What does 1 Peter 5:7 tell you to do with your cares?

3. How are we instructed to handle our anxious thoughts, according to Philippians 4:6-7?

4. How does Matthew 11:28-30 speak to your heart today?

God wants you to live in PEACE as you trust and rest in HIM. Only He can ease your burdens, carry your load and give you a proper perspective on life. He invites you to come to Him when you feel weary and overwhelmed. His ways are easy, and His burden is light!