Bible Reading: Proverbs 3:5; Philippians 4:4-7

“Oh, Nathan, don’t cry,” Sydney told her little brother when he showed her his broken train. “Let’s go see if Grandpa can fix it.”

They took the train to Grandpa’s workshop, where he checked it over. “No problem,” he said. “I’ll make it as good as new.”

The kids hopped onto the workbench to watch. When Grandpa started bending a wheel on the train, Nathan gasped. “Stop, Grandpa! You’ll make it worse.”

“Don’t be silly, Nathan,” said Sydney. “Grandpa’s fixing your train, not making it worse!” Grandpa nodded and continued his work.

“You’re not doing it right,” Nathan told Grandpa a moment later. “That piece has to go onto the engine–like this.” He reached for the train.

Grandpa set the train down. “Nathan, why don’t you play outside for a while? This is going to take some time.”

“But I want my train now!” Nathan grabbed it and headed for the door.

Sydney turned to Grandpa and shook her head. “Silly kid! He gave you his train to fix and then took it back without letting you fix it.”

“He’ll probably bring it back soon,” Grandpa said. He chuckled. “It makes me think of how we do the same thing with God sometimes.”

“We do?” Sydney asked. “How?”

“By bringing our problems to Him but then continuing to try to fix them our way,” Grandpa replied. “Last week you told me you were worried your parents might not be able to afford camp this summer. You said you prayed and gave it to God, right?”

Sydney looked down. “Yes. But I’ve still been worrying about it.”

“I overheard you pestering your mom about it too,” Grandpa said. “So did you leave it with God, or did you take it back?”

“I–I guess I took it back,” Sydney admitted. “It’s hard not to worry.”

Grandpa nodded. “Worrying means we’re not trusting God to handle things that are out of our control. If you start to worry, why not pause and quietly talk to Jesus? He died on the cross to have a relationship with you, and He cares about your problems. Trust Him to help you and give you His peace.”

Just then the door swung open and Nathan came in and handed Grandpa his train.

–Tanya Ferdinandusz

How About You?
Do you bring your problems, worries, and needs to God in prayer? After you do that, do you start worrying all over again? Once you have brought your problem to God, don’t try to take it back. Ask Him to give you peace and patience as He handles the situation. Trust Him to work things out for His glory and your good–even if it’s in ways you don’t expect.

Today’s Key Verse:
Don’t worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need. (ERV) (Philippians 4:6 )

Today’s Key Thought:
Trust God with your problems