IN DENIAL

Matthew 11:28-30 (NLT) “Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

A family is going through a season in their lives. An unfortunate event occurred a while back, and the residual effect is devastating to this couple. It is a serious situation; one that will no doubt affect them the rest of their lives.

They are both dealing with it in different ways. The husband is taking it very hard; he feels responsible for their situation. He, along with many others, lost his job when the factory closed down. He has no experience or training for any other type of work; he started at that job when he was 20 years old. Now, at 57, his age and several health issues are additional strikes against him. His chances of finding a job earning the amount of money he was making are right around zero. He is feeling totally and utterly hopeless, and is his thoughts are consumed with their financial situation. Their savings account is just about depleted and he cannot find a job anywhere, not even as a janitor. Her small salary as a part-time school cafeteria aide barely pays the utilities and the groceries. Soon, they will have to sell their house.

What irritates him the most is his wife. She acts as though nothing is wrong. He’s constantly telling her to get her head out of the clouds and face what’s going on in their lives. He’s angry with her because she does not express the same level of concern that he does. She is calm; he is a nervous wreck. Surely, she is in denial ("the refusal to acknowledge the existence or severity of unpleasant external realities or internal thoughts and feelings [HEALTHLINE.COM]"). She can’t cope with all of this so her mind is just shutting it all out. He’s convinced that’s what’s wrong with her.

She’s not in denial, though. She is very well aware of the state of their affairs. She is walking in faith. Instead of succumbing to the weapons the evil one is firing at them--fear, doubt, depression, anger, envy, jealousy, despair, etc.—she gave up her concerns to the Lord. She is facing life clad with the armor of God. She admits she is powerless and knows God has power over everything. She trusts that as long as she is walking in God’s will, He will cover her. She has peace while her husband is in turmoil. She feels God’s presence and protection; he feels deserted and defeated.

Let useless worry destroy you or be in peace trusting God? Which would you choose?

Scriptures:

Psalm 55:22 (NLT) “Give your burdens to the LORD, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.”

Philippians 4:6-8 (NLT) “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus”.