Ruth Graham, beloved wife of Evangelist Billy Graham, told of being jolted awake suddenly in the night by the name of someone she loved dearly who was trying hard to run away from God. In the darkness her fears ran rampant.
Suddenly the Lord said to her, ‘Quit studying the problems and start studying the promises.’”
Yes, Ruth, sometimes we spend more time worrying about the problem than we spend focusing on God’s promises to help us.
The first scripture that came to Ruth’s mind was Philippians 4:6-7: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
She realized the part she had been neglecting was the phrase “with thanksgiving.” Beginning to thank Him for who He is, she found her fears scuttled away like cockroaches when the light is turned on. Peace filled her heart.[1]
What are some of those promises? The book of Psalms is full of them. Here are just a few: “When he calls to me, I will answer him,” says God. “I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him” (Psalms 91:15). “Those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you” (Psalm 9:10).
When we’re troubled about a situation, we’re very good at studying the problem. Let’s start giving equal time to studying God’s promises. You may want to begin listing them in a notebook or on your cellphone or computer. As Dwight L. Moody wrote, “God never made a promise that was too good to be true.”[2]
[1] Ruth Graham, Letters from Ruth’s Attic, compiled from Decision Magazine (Charlotte, NC, 2007), 59.
[2] https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/d/dwightlmo157634.html, accessed 12-1-2016.