READ: PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7; 2 THESSALONIANS 3:16

Life can be hard. I’m not going to sugarcoat it. Life can be very hard. We may find it pretty easy to love and worship God when things are going well and life is good. But what about when a loved one passes away? What about when you’re so stressed with work and school that it feels like you don’t have energy for anything else? What about when a friend lets you down? What about when you’re having financial struggles and you don’t know how you’ll get by?

Whatever you’re dealing with, there are probably days when your mind and heart are so clouded with emotion that you have trouble even opening that Bible or asking God for His help and guidance. I can relate. I can’t say that I know exactly what you’re going through because everyone has their own individual life and struggles. But I do know what it’s like to feel like you don’t have any choice but to put God last, when deep down you know He should be first.

Here’s what we need to remember: God is there when nobody else is. He is the peace in the chaos and the hope in the heartache. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). He’s not just some other chore that we can maybe work into our schedules. He loves us. He died and rose again to be with us. He cares about what we’re going through, whether our problems are big or small, and He wants to help us.

Today, Jesus invites us to come to Him with all our burdens, and He will give us rest (Matthew 11:28-30). He will give us peace and comfort in our storms. He might not take away our pain immediately, but He will be there with us through it all. • Elizabeth Blanton

• When are you tempted to put God last? In other words, when does it feel like a chore to spend time praying, reading the Bible, and gathering with other Christians to worship God together? It’s easy to let these things fall to the wayside when life feels overwhelming, but when we view our time with God as spiritual nourishment, we realize how much we need it—especially in the overwhelming seasons. Spending intentional time with God may not always feel nourishing in the moment, but whenever we focus on His ever-abiding peace and presence within us, it’s always time well-spent.

“I [Jesus] have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 (NIV)