As Christians, we enjoy peace with God and we look forward to the return of Christ and life in a new creation. A world without sin and curse. A world without suffering and hardship. That is the future we await, but it is not the reality of the present. At present, we live in a fallen world: a world under the curse; a world where there is sickness and disease; a world where many people, including Christians, go without food and water.

Life is a struggle to survive, and our faith in Christ does not remove or insulate us from these realities. Our trust in Jesus does not entitle us to a promise of riches in the present. There is no promise of material and physical prosperity. There is no promise of enduring health instead of decaying bodies. Long lasting and close friendships, financial success, a good future for our children—yes, we all want these things, most certainly, but they are not promises that we can claim for the here and now.

Faced with these uncertainties, we are tempted to mitigate risk and hoard possessions. If we set ourselves on chasing money, just one dollar more, then we will be able to provide a measure of security and comfort. That is the plan at least, the plan we are taught from a young age. With money in the bank, we can live in the home that we desire, we can ensure there is always food on the table, we can be ready for the rainy day.

Planning for the future and working hard to meet our responsibilities is wise and godly behaviour. It is the example of the ant, and we are not acting in sin when we work in order to provide and meet our various responsibilities. This is the way in which God has set up this world. Six days of labour, one day for rest and worship.

Of course, as citizens of God’s kingdom, we must make sure that money does not become our focus and all-consuming purpose. Yes, it is needed for life in this world, but it must not be our aim to gather as many possessions as we can. To put it another way, the desire for money must not be our first thought in the morning and our last thought in the evening. No, rather, we must learn to trust God as our Father. We must learn to trust that he will care for us, that he will give us the things we need to pursue the purposes of his kingdom. Pleasing God must be our focus, pleasing God in response to his grace.

Pleasing God was the desire of our Lord Jesus Christ, as throughout his life he set himself on doing the Father’s will. But it is not a desire that comes naturally to us. As a result of our sinful nature, even after our conversion to Christ, we find it difficult to trust God, with the result that we are not always keen to get on board with his plans. Realizing our weakness, our Lord Jesus Christ gives us three exercises. Three simple truths to consider in faith. Three truths that can help us to let go of stress and anxiety. Truths that can bring comfort and peace in the midst of life’s uncertainties.