“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done.”-Philippians 4:6
What comes to your mind when you think about this word—worry? Without a doubt, worry is a pretty common word used in our day in age. We say things like, “I was up late last night worrying about…” or “ I worry that I might not be able to…” We use the word often, and sadly worry dominates many lives. Dictionary.com defines worry this way, “to torment oneself with or suffer from disturbing thoughts; fret.” Other words that are often associated with worry are stress, anxiety, and uneasiness. Truth be told, most of us wrestle with worry in varying degrees.
What does God want us to do with worry? This is a really important question. What’s really encouraging is that God gives us some clear answers from His Word on what to do with worry. God wants us to bring it to Him! How? Through prayer with thankfulness. It’s worth reading Philippians 4:6 again and again! Here’s what it says, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done.”
What if we took this passage seriously? What if the next time we were fretting and stressing out about something, we took it to God in prayer? What if we expressed to God in intimate conversation how we were feeling? What if we told Him in prayer what we think we need? Finally, what if we then truly gave Him thanks for all He’s done, taking time to recount the many times He has provided, helped, intervened, comforted us, and how He has always been present? God knows that when we do this, we will find what we all truly need: we find Him and the peace that He alone can give.
Today, may we be reminded that God has lovingly given us instructions on what to do with worry. We are to bring it to Him in prayer. We are to be honest with Him, express our need, and give Him lots of thanks. Then, God promises His peace that we can't fully comprehend. We can take this potent promise to heart and count on it! Shall we?
Godspeed, friends!
-Scott