May 26

Morning

Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken. — Ps 55:22 BSB

Worry, even when it’s over legitimate concerns, can quickly turn into sin when it becomes excessive. Jesus repeatedly warned us not to worry, and the apostles echoed this teaching. When we allow worry to take over, it’s as if we’re assuming we know better than God and trying to take His place in managing our lives. We imagine He might forget something, so we carry the burden ourselves, as though He is unable or unwilling to do it for us.

This kind of worry is not only disobedient to His clear commands but also rooted in unbelief. It’s a sinful presumption that leads us to act in ways that aren’t honoring to God. When we can’t leave our problems in His hands and insist on carrying our burdens, we’re more likely to turn to wrong solutions in an attempt to help ourselves. We stop seeking God’s wisdom and turn to human reasoning. This is like turning from the “fountain of living water” to “broken cisterns,” as Israel did long ago.

Worry makes us doubt God’s love and kindness, which cools our love for Him. It fosters mistrust, grieves the Holy Spirit, hinders our prayers, and leads us to live lives focused on ourselves. In short, this lack of trust in God pulls us away from Him. But if, through simple faith, we cast every burden on Him and refuse to worry about anything, trusting that He cares for us, we’ll stay close to Him and be strengthened against many temptations. "You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You.”

Evening

strengthening the souls of the disciples and encouraging them to continue in the faith. “We must endure many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said. — Acts 14:22 BSB

Perseverance is the mark of true believers. The Christian life isn’t just about starting on the path of faith but continuing on that path of holiness for the rest of our lives. Just as Napoleon once said, “Conquest made me who I am, and conquest must sustain me,” so it is with the Christian life. By God's grace, conquest made you who you are, and conquest must continue. Your motto must be “Onward and upward!” Only those who persevere to the end will be crowned with victory when the final trumpet sounds.

This is why perseverance is the target of all our spiritual enemies.

The world won’t mind if you’re a Christian for a while, as long as it can tempt you to settle down in Vanity Fair and stop your pilgrimage.

The flesh will try to ensnare you and prevent you from pressing on toward glory. It will say, “Being a pilgrim is exhausting—why not give up? Do I always have to deny myself? Can’t I indulge just a little? Give me a break from this constant struggle.”

Satan will fiercely attack your perseverance, aiming all his arrows at it. He’ll try to stop you from serving God by telling you that your efforts are worthless and that you deserve a break. He’ll make you weary of suffering, whispering, “Curse God and die!” Or he’ll attack your commitment, asking, “What’s the point of being so devoted? Why not just blend in with the crowd, let your lamp go out, and take it easy like the other virgins?” He might even challenge your beliefs, saying, “Why hold onto these doctrines? Sensible people are becoming more progressive; why not follow their lead?”

Christian, keep your shield close, and cry out to God for strength by His Spirit, so that you may persevere to the end.