Topic: Do Less, and Trust God More [RICK WARREN Devotional 4 March   2023]

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Do Less, and Trust God More

BY RICK WARREN — MARCH 4, 2023
FROM THE LIFE YOU WERE MEANT TO LIVE

“It was so bad we didn’t think we were going to make it . . . As it turned out, it was the best thing that could have happened. Instead of trusting in our own strength or wits to get out of it, we were forced to trust God totally—not a bad idea since he’s the God who raises the dead!”

2 Corinthians 1:8-9 (The Message)

Do you need more margin in your life? One way to find it is to do less and trust God more.

Why will that help? Because God can do more in 20 minutes than you can do in 20 years.

Think about your own life. Are there goals or dreams that you’ve been striving, seeking, working, hustling, and hurrying for year after year without achieving them? Why don’t you just back off a little bit? Relax. Chill out. Trust God. Watch what he can do. If you make space in your life, you may find that he accomplishes your dreams much faster and better than you can.

The only benefit of being stretched and overloaded is that it forces you to trust God. It brings you to your knees as you realize you’re up against the wall, out of steam, and out of energy.

When the Apostle Paul was in Asia, working and serving, he experienced burnout. He was ready to throw in the towel!

He says in 2 Corinthians 1:8-9: “It was so bad, we didn’t think we were going to make it . . . As it turned out, it was the best thing that could have happened. Instead of trusting in our own strength or wits to get out of it, we were forced to trust God totally—not a bad idea since he’s the God who raises the dead!” (The Message)

God can do what you can’t do. Jesus did not say, “If you’re busy, you can move mountains.” He didn’t say, “If you work really hard and get really stressed out, you can move a mountain.” He said that “if you have faith,” you can move mountains (Matthew 17:20 NIV). Faith, not busyness, is what gets the job done.

So what’s your mountain? What’s the problem in your life that needs moving? Stop trying to do it all yourself! Do less, and trust God more.

Talk It Over

• When have you been forced to trust God after realizing you were overloaded?
• When have you seen faith move a mountain, either in your own life or someone else’s?
• What dream or goal do you need to stop working so hard to accomplish? What would it look like for you to back off and give God room to work?

Are you ready to find rest in God?

The first step toward rest is to make peace with God by accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior. You can start with this simple prayer:

“Dear God, I don’t want my sin to separate me from you any longer. You have promised that if I believe in Jesus, you’ll forgive me for everything I’ve ever done wrong, you’ll show me the purpose of my life, and you’ll accept me into your family and bring me to heaven one day to live with you for eternity.

“Jesus, I confess my sin, and I believe you are my Savior. I trust you when you say salvation comes by grace, through faith, and not by anything I do. I ask you to come into my life as my Lord. Today, I commit my life to you.

“I want to live the way you created me to live—at peace and rested—and to use the remainder of my life to serve you. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”

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