The Upper Room Daily Devotional for Today – August 11, 2026, Tuesday Message
Hand It Over
Barbara Wrisberg (Illinois, USA)
Today’s Reading
Matthew 8:23-27
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. – Joshua 1:9 (NIV)
On the day I was volunteering in my granddaughter Reagan’s second-grade classroom, the teacher asked Reagan to select a book and read it to the class. Reagan told me later that she had been worried that some of the other kids might be jealous of her getting to read. But she decided that if there was a problem she would let the teacher handle it. She realized she didn’t need to worry because the teacher was there to take care of any problems. It was the teacher’s job and not hers. Thankfully, there were no problems, and the class enjoyed the book.
As I thought about this more, two important truths emerged. First, we waste time and energy worrying about things that never happen. And second, when problems do arise, we need to let the One in charge handle them. Often we try to handle things ourselves before we consider handing them over to God. Instead, we can stop worrying and trust that God can handle it.
When the disciples were caught in a storm, they knew Jesus could save them, and yet they were amazed when he did. Joshua 1:9 tells us to be strong and courageous, not to be afraid because God will be with us wherever we go. We can hand over our worries to God instead of trying to handle them alone.
Thought for the Day
When problems arise, I will remember that God is in charge.
Prayer Focus
Teachers
Today’s Prayer
Dear Lord, thank you for loving us and caring about our problems. Help us to turn to you first in times of trouble. Amen.
The Upper Room Daily Devotional for Today 11th August 2026 is a daily devotional magazine published in more than 30 languages and 100 countries around the world. The daily meditations are written by readers of the magazine and others interested in sharing their faith experiences through writing—both laity and clergy, published authors and new writers. Read More