TURN YOUR WORRIES INTO PRAYERS
It’s Leap Day and there is no OYB reading for today, so I have chosen one of my favorite Scripture passages to consider. With the all the anxiety over the Coronavirus, politics and the economy, it seemed a good time to offer God’s prescription for worry.
Consider what worry is. It is negative self-talk. We say to ourselves, “What will I do about this problem tomorrow? What if the money doesn’t come? What if the doctor gives bad news? What if I lose my job? What if I fail this test?” And the negative questions and negative self-talk continues on and on, until we can’t sleep or eat. We worry ourselves to death. No one has ever solved anything by worry, but that doesn’t stop us from trying. Worry is worthless, it is self-destructive and even more serious, it is the opposite of faith. For worry doubts that God can handle our situation.
The Word teaches us not worry. Yet it doesn’t leave us with only a negative command, but offers a positive to replace it–– prayer. What is worry? Negative, doubting self-talk. What is prayer? Positive, believing God-talk. Instead of anxiously talking to yourself, talk to God in prayer. After all, it takes the same amount of energy and effort to worry as it does to pray.
So stop looking inward and start looking upward. What does God promise for those who do? He promises to replace our anxiety with His peace. We receive the peace of God which surpasses all understanding because even though our requests have not yet been answered, we have now by faith given our problems to God. And this peace guards and protects our state of mind in Christ Jesus.
Turn your worries into prayers!
PRAYER: Dear Father, forgive us for worrying and doubting when problems come our way. Teach us to turn our worries into prayers. For we are Your children and You promise to meet all of our needs in Christ Jesus. Thank You for how peace replaces our anxiety when we come to You in prayer. In Jesus’ name, amen.