Can you remember as a child trading something? Maybe, you traded baseball cards, pocket knives, an item of clothing or maybe it was your bologna sandwich for your friend’s peanut butter and jelly. We trade because we think we are getting the better deal or at least something that we prefer to have.
     Do you realize that we still trade as an adult and with God? At my church, we sing the chorus, “Trading My Sorrows.” It says, “I’m trading my sorrows. I’m trading my shame. I’m laying them down for the joy of the Lord.” This is a good trade. But, sometimes the trade we make is not so good. Here are a few of the bad trades that we make in life. We give up what God has given us as his children for our own way.

• We trade peace for worry. We fret and worry when God has said, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:5-7)
• We trade abundant life for barely getting by. We get so caught up in surviving day to day that we forget God tells us, “I have come that they might have life and have it to the full” (John 10:10)
• We trade walking in the light for stumbling in the dark. When we need direction for our life, all we have to do is ask, “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” (Jeremiah 33:3)
• We trade victory for being defeated. God doesn’t want us live defeated, “In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37)
• We trade God’s strength for doing life on our own. We often try to live the Christian life on our own and fail because we forget God said, “I can do all things through him that gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13)

     There are many more examples that we could find, but I will leave it here for now. God always gives us the opportunity to trade back. So, do you have something to trade today?