Am I anxious?
by adustyframe ~ April 16th, 2008Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.
I am finishing up Finding God’s Path Through Your Trials by Elizabeth George. In light of my bout with worrying last week, I thought this was a good thing to pay attention to.
Am I anxious?
1. I question–”What am I going to do?” “How is this going to end?” “What will people think?” “What about the money?” (fill in the blanks with a hundred more right?)
2. I obsess–We take something small and give it an inordinate amount of thought and attention. It’s as if we cannot think of anything else.
3. I am distracted--I can’t focus or concentrate. I may look like I’m living but I am unsuccessful in handling reality because of worry.
Instead of worry we are to pray. Be anxious for NOTHING, pray about EVERYTHING.
God gives us a plan and it’s quite simple. In order to not worry about anything, we must pray about everything.
He cares for all of our concerns. Nothing is too big or too small to take to him.
1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon him for he careth for you.”
I know that when I was worrying so much last week, (and yes it is sin) I didn’t take the time to pray about everything like I should have. It’s really true that praying about everything relieves the anxiety. God is more than able to provide us a peace that passes understanding.
I heard Chuck Swindoll say one time that 90% of the things we worry about never happen. So I’d tease, “Good then I’m going to keep worrying so they don’t happen.”
Really though worry can consume us and rob us of our peace and joy in the Lord. Trusting him and taking my cares to him is a much better way to live.
April 16th, 2008 at 10:43 am
This reminds me of the memory verse I am doing with my boys right now: “The end of all things is near. Therefore, be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” I Peter 4:7-8.” Your blog entry hints at what I have just realized – when we are not clear minded, and we are not self-controlled, it’s NOT that God CAN’T or WON’T hear our prayers (due to our sin, as I was taught), it’s that we are not ABLE to pray, because our minds are cluttered with the concerns and worries of our earthly life. I’ve had that, too, when I have been so consumed with fear and doubt that my mind could not settle down enough to form a coherent prayer. It’s like there’s this wall that you just can’t get over. Just some thoughts.