Just Don’t Google it…
Photo by Firmbee.com on Unsplash
Good morning, Rise and Shine friends!
Happy August!
August is a big birthday month around here.
My first born, Joseph, was born in August.
Joseph turned 25 yesterday. TWENTY FIVE.
My dear sister reminded me yesterday, “You have a child that is a quarter of a century old.”
Gulp!
His birthday is a stark reminder that I am aging as well. Eek.
Recently, I had blood work done.
Everything was pretty good, except one of the numbers was slightly off.
My doctor wants to re-check in a few weeks, just to make sure all is well.
She has assured me that it is probably nothing.
Well, years ago, I would have went down a rabbit hole googling what possibly this “off” number could be.
I have learned the hard way, there is no peace to be found in Google.
Seriously.
NONE.
Google will always tell you the worst possible scenario and then have you convinced you are dying.
However, sometimes we just cannot help ourselves, can we?
We just HAVE to know what this could mean.
Often, we are so impatient and worried that we freak out and start researching and scouring the internet for possible reasons of a diagnosis or reading of bloodwork.
Let me assure you…this NEVER LEADS TO ANYTHING GOOD.
When my children were little, every time they got a fever, an ant bite, anything, I would google their symptoms.
In about 7 minutes, I was panicking and fearful and full of anxiety.
Along with this, once we google something, it then begins to “show up” more and more on our screens.
Suddenly we are seeing ads and messages about scary things…and we think it might be a “sign” for us that something bad is going on.
Why do we have this craving to know everything?
We want to know things before they happen.
We want to be three steps ahead of the doctor.
We want to be “prepared’ for bad news.
We are so impatient that it steals our present joy.
Why do we prepare for dread?
Is there anything biblical about this?
NO.
There is a scripture that always comes to mind when I start going down scary rabbit holes.
It is not good to eat too much honey, nor is it honorable to search out matters that are too deep. Proverbs 25:27
We want to know things.
We want to search to the end of something.
We are craving answers.
Didn’t Eve do this?
She wasn’t content with the way things were.
She wanted to know more.
She wanted to be wiser and uncover more things.
Whew.
We are more like Eve than we care to admit.
When we begin to let our minds go haywire, let’s go back to the Present.
The right here and right now.
What is going on right this second?
Give us THIS day, our daily bread…Jesus teaches us how to pray.
The bread from yesterday is old and moldy.
The bread for tomorrow is not ready.
This day, this bread, this is what we are to enjoy.
Why are we always preparing for something that hasn’t yet happened…and may never happen.
Or trying to eat bread that hasn’t been prepared?
Goodness.
"I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content." Psalm 131:2
What if we started preparing for JOY instead of dread?
What if every single day we prepared for GOOD news instead of bad news?
In order to do this, we must rest in His Word. And not just rest in it, but believe it.
“Do not conform to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Romans 12:2
There is a reason we google things and now we use AI to find even more answers to our deep and concerning questions.
Do you know what AI stands for?
ARTIFICIAL intelligence.
Here is the definition of artificial according to the dictionary…
Artificial means made or produced by human work and skill instead of occurring naturally. It often describes an imitation, copy, or substitute for a real or natural thing, such as artificial flowers, artificial sweeteners, or an artificial lake. The word can also describe behavior or situations that feel forced, insincere, or contrived rather than spontaneous.
It is a fake.
It is not reality.
It looks real, sounds real, but it is not.
If we want real answers, we need to go to God’s Word.
For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12
It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it. Isaiah 55:11
We will never find peace through google or AI.
Peace and JOY can only be found through Jesus.
His Word gives us the wisdom we need daily.
His Word sustains us.
His Word brings long sought after answers.
When anxiety was great within me, Your consolation brought me joy. Psalm 94:19
eating today’s bread,
jill
