The Upper Room Daily Devotional Nashville, Tennessee, United States “God’s Calm Presence " for Tuesday, 27 January 2015 - Scripture: 2 Chronicles 15:1-7

The Upper Room Daily Devotional Nashville, Tennessee, United States “God’s Calm Presence
" for Tuesday, 27 January 2015 - Scripture: 2 Chronicles 15: Asa Destroys the Idols in Judah
1 Some time later, God spoke to Azariah son of Oded. 2 At once, Azariah went to Asa and said:
Listen to me, King Asa and you people of Judah and Benjamin. The Lord will be with you and help you, as long as you obey and worship him. But if you disobey him, he will desert you.
3 For a long time, the people of Israel did not worship the true God or listen to priests who could teach them about God. They refused to obey God’s Law. 4 But whenever trouble came, Israel turned back to the Lord their God and worshiped him.
5 There was so much confusion in those days that it wasn’t safe to go anywhere in Israel. 6 Nations were destroying each other, and cities were wiping out other cities, because God was causing trouble and unrest everywhere.
7 So you must be brave. Don’t give up! God will honor you for obeying him.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.[Philippians 4:6 (NIV)]
A problem at work plagued me for two weeks. I ran every scenario, checked every figure, and double-checked all my work. I still had no solution. I walked away from the problem and asked others for help, but I was still stuck. Why was my assignment so hard?
My job title was Budget Analyst, and I analyzed every figure as if my life depended on it. I had done everything within my power and knowledge to make the numbers match. Fear of being fired and frustration with my lack of skills weighed heavily on me. I did the only thing left: I got down on my knees.
I thought of Philippians 4:6 and 1 Thessalonians 5:17, which instructed me to pray. Right there in my office, I cried out to God. I put my problem in God’s hands. I begged for peace, clarity, a solution. I hesitated to go to God with what I considered a trivial problem; but my heart and various Bible verses told me differently. When I got back on my feet, I felt God’s calm presence. I knew that whatever happened, I would be OK. Although the solution wasn’t immediate (coming a few days later), my heart was immediately filled with peace.
Read more from the author, here.
"Finding Joy in the Simple Snippets of Life"
Today’s devotional was inspired by my husband. The narrative is actually his story that I put into words for him. He had struggled so much with this particular job, but his willingness to seek out God’s will during the whole ordeal placed a longing on my heart to write it down so others could also be inspired by his story. Now, several years later, he has a new job that blesses us in so many ways. We know that God protected him through the difficult times and was working within him to grow him for the job he now enjoys.
This is the basis of a lot of my writing: finding the peace, calm, strength, and perseverance from the everyday moments in life that the world challenges us with. I’ve lived with depression and low self-esteem for the better part of my life and I’m seeking to learn from God’s word the comfort and peace that God offers.
I’ve also recently switched careers and have started working from home in a freelance writing/editing position. Once again, I’m able to see what God has done within me to prepare me for this situation. He is directing and leading me throughout every moment that I encounter and I’m beginning to find the joy in the simple snippets of everyday life because I know God is using each of those moments for his greater purpose. My blog, Sue’s Simple Snippets (www.suessimplesnippets.wordpress.com), contains stories from my everyday life and how I seek to find the joy that God wants for me or the joy that he wants me to share with others. The blog has been such a blessing for me—just as a journal really—but so many others have shared their experiences with me as well that I am compelled to keep at it.
This is my first devotional published in The Upper Room and I am beyond thrilled that I can reach out to others in this way to share the love of God. I pray that I can reach out to others who struggle with the everyday difficulties in this fallen world for, as the Bible states, "He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy." Job 8:21[Sue A. Fairchild]
The Author: Sue Fairchild (Pennsylvania, USA)
Thought for the Day: Today I will seek God’s guidance even for the small stuff.
Prayer: Dear God, teach us in every situation to put our faith and trust in you. Amen.
Prayer focus: Those who struggle in their jobs
____________________________