worry Archives - Marissa Henley

Our Light and Salvation {No Matter What Monday}

November 26, 2018 by Marissa Leave a Comment

I’m not a fan of scary movies—in fact, my tolerance for suspense is probably at about the 2^nd grade level. At the slightest bit of suspense, my hands fly to my face to cover my eyes, and I make the person next to me to narrate what’s happening. (I don’t want to watch, but I also don’t want to miss anything!) I remember my friends making fun of me in high school because I got scared watching “Kindergarten Cop.” I don’t remember the movie well, but I’m positive it was more intense than it sounds. 😉

And if I think Kindergarten Cop is scary, the real world is much, much worse. We face days, months, and years filled with uncertainty, suffering, and trouble, and it seems to be getting worse every day.

So how can we possibly follow the Bible’s exhortation to live without fear? Psalm 27:1 offers an answer to that question:

“The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”

The Lord is our light. When all feels dark, His light shines even brighter. Micah 7:8 says, “When I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me.” Isaiah 60:20 refers to the everlasting light of the Lord. Our Heavenly Father promises to always shine His unfailing light into our darkest places.

The Lord is our salvation. Colossians 1:13-14 tells us He’s delivered us from the dominion of darkness, brought us into the kingdom of His Son Jesus Christ, and given us redemption and forgiveness. Our future is secure in Christ, and nothing can snatch us from His hand.

I doubt I will ever completely conquer the temptation to fear in this life—whether watching movies or facing reality. But remembering that the Lord is my light and salvation helps me to face a frightening world with less fear and more confidence in the Lord’s promises.

No matter what you face this week, don’t be afraid—the Lord is your light and salvation.

The Lord Will Sustain You {No Matter What Monday}

May 21, 2018 by Marissa Leave a Comment

*** My new book, Loving Your Friend through Cancer, releases at the end of this month! To celebrate, each Monday devotional in May will feature one of my favorite verses from my cancer battle several years ago. I hope you will be encouraged by these scriptures and add them to your list to share with a friend who is suffering. ***

Have you ever felt like the weight of suffering or sorrow might crush you? I remember an especially difficult day in the midst of my cancer battle seven years ago. We had just learned that I would need to start spending most of my time in Houston, receiving treatment on a clinical trial at MD Anderson Cancer Center.

As I sat in the Houston airport waiting to return home for a few days, the tears wouldn’t stop flowing. The logistical challenges swirled in my mind. I felt weighed down by grief, knowing I’d miss so much time with my young children.

In the months that followed, the Lord showed me over and over again that He was with me in my suffering. He never asked me to carry the burden alone. He taught me how to accept help from the body of Christ and often quieted my anxious heart with His sustaining faithfulness.

“Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.” (Psalm 55:22, NIV)

What does it look like to cast your cares on the Lord? The word cast means to throw, hurl, or fling. Imagine standing at the edge of a cliff, reaching your arm behind you, and throwing your worries as far as they will go. When our burdens are too much for our own strength, we can cast them on the Lord. He will carry them for us.

As we cast our burdens on Him, God says He will sustain us. We don’t need to stand on our own strength or skill. He doesn’t look at our pain and say, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” He sees our weakness and asks us to throw the burden on Him. He has all the strength we need. He holds us tight and will never let us go.

No matter what you face this week, the Lord will sustain you.

Our Eyes are on You {No Matter What Monday}

November 6, 2017 by Marissa Leave a Comment

I stood at the kitchen sink with my face in my hands while my two little boys ran circles around me and the newborn cried from her crib. I had just learned that a close family member had been diagnosed with cancer. As I looked around the chaos of my life as a young mom, I wondered, How can I possibly help? What can I do to support her? I have no idea what to do.

Later that month, I came across a treasure in the book of 2 Chronicles 20. In this chapter, the king of Judah hears that three armies have united against him and are on their way to attack. The people all gather together in the temple, standing with their families, and, I imagine, shaking with fear. King Jehoshaphat cries out to the Lord, praises Him for His sovereignty and power, and asks for deliverance from the only One who can offer it:

“O our God, will you not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” (2 Chronicles 20:12)

This passage became a lifeline for me as our extended family walked through cancer that summer. I had no idea God was teaching me to keep my eyes on Him in hard times because I would face my own cancer battle the following year.

I often don’t know what to do. Life overwhelms me, parenting perplexes me, relationships frustrate me, and my sin shows me that I don’t have the Christian life figured out. But through it all, there is One who is more powerful than our strongest enemy, possesses all the wisdom we could ever need, and keeps all His promises to us.

When you don’t know what to do, keep looking to Him. Keep crying out to Him and depending on His promises and strength. Just as He defeated the enemies of His people on that day thousands of years ago, He will give you wisdom and strength when you have no idea what to do.

No matter what you face this week, keep your eyes on your faithful and mighty Father.

Past, Present, and Future Faithfulness {No Matter What Monday}

September 4, 2017 by Marissa Leave a Comment

Fifteen times in the past six years, a machine has taken photos of my insides, and a radiologist has scoured the images for evidence of cancer recurrence. Scan Days cause me to swing on a pendulum between complete confidence that everything will be fine and dreadful certainty that nothing will be fine.

One tactic I use during those stressful weeks is to remind myself that, no matter how worked up I get each time, all my other scans have been clear. Remembering past experiences brings some peace when I face uncertainty, but it’s a shaky, tentative peace. Statistically speaking, the years of good results makes future good results more likely. But there is no guarantee.

When contemplating past medical success doesn’t quiet my soul, I’m thankful there’s something better.

“But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:21-23)

Calling to mind the Lord’s faithfulness and steadfast love brings hope and peace to my anxious soul. Remembering His past faithfulness to His people in general and in my life specifically gives me confidence as I face uncertainty and doubts. Because God never changes, His past faithfulness absolutely guarantees His present and future faithfulness to us.

I don’t know if everything will be fine. But I do know the Lord will be faithful.

Because He was faithful yesterday, I can confidently depend on Him to be faithful today and expect Him to be faithful tomorrow.

No matter what we face this week, we can remember God’s past faithfulness, depend on His present faithfulness, and expect His future faithfulness.

(This week’s devotional is a flashback adapted from a post which first appeared here on May 30, 2016.)