DON’T WORRY, PRAY.

Thursday 15 May

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJV)

“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?” Matthew 6:25-27 (NKJV)

Have you ever met someone who is constantly worried about things that have happened, are happening or could happen in the future? I’m sure you all know someone like this. Furthermore, have you ever heard someone say that they are ‘beside themselves’ with worry over a certain situation (whether real or imagined)?

There is more truth to this phrase than many know. The word anxious and worry stem from the same Greek word ‘merimnao’ The word is derived from the verb ‘merizo’ which means ‘to divide’ and nous which is ‘mind’. In other words, you are saying you have divided your mind or if my mathematics is correct, you are now double minded.

The Bible says to us that ‘a double minded man is unstable in all his ways, do not think that he will receive anything from the Lord’. Does this mean that God is withholding from you? No, you are withholding from yourself. Merimnao also refers to having cares and troubles.

To explain further, imagine the analogy of a garden hose. When you turn on the tap the water is flowing freely. The second that you get a kink in the hose the water virtually stops flowing. What happened? Did the water stop or did something stop the flow? Usually it’s the holder of the hose that is the culprit.

It’s much the same with worry. Most people are unaware of the effect of anxiousness that is causing the flow of good things to be cut off in their lives. Some have grown up in an environment where everybody worried about everything and prayed about nothing.

1 Peter 5:7 shows us what to do ‘casting all your CARE upon Him, for He CARES for you.’ Now there are two different words here for the same English word. The first care is ‘merimna’ which actually gives us the idea of being distracted.

Remember what happened to Peter when he was walking on the water and then took his focus from Jesus because he looked at the wind and the waves? This is what occurs when we allow anxiety and worry to dictate where we put our focus. We must always keep our eyes on the Lord and not the circumstance as bleak as it may seem.

This leaves us with the second CARE. You’ll like this one better. ‘Melei’ in Greek means He takes care, cares about and has regard for you! Two things to encourage you. Jesus knows what it is like to face challenges as a human being. He knows what pain and suffering is first hand.

The Bible says ‘we do not have a High Priest that cannot be touched by the feeling of our infirmities.’ He knows where you’re at and what you are going through. Jesus Himself had to rely on the scripture and not his emotions or feelings. The same goes for us.

Another reality is in His foreknowledge of dateless past to dateless future He has already seen every possible scenario that you may face in your life and therefore has made a way of escape out of any situation in Christ. Because He sees the beginning to the end. All He ever asks is for us to put our trust and confidence in Him.

Knowing all this as a believer in Christ, why should we worry about anything? Worry and anxiety that is verbalised only produces unbelief that works against faith, which is not useful. The next time you are tempted to worry or get anxious about something, try praying instead. It is far more useful.

Then ‘the peace of God that surpasses all human understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus’

Don’t overthrow your spirit with unbelief or your mind with worry. We are the ones responsible through prayers, petitions and requests to keep solutions flowing into our lives, not God. Make sure worry and anxiety are not hindering your progress.

Apostle Paul said ‘I would that men would pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands without wrath or doubting.’

When we pray we are saying like Jehoshaphat ‘this army is too big for us but Lord our eyes are on you.’ Our attitude needs to be; This problem might be too big for me but God I know you’re bigger. He is bigger than any mountain of opposition. Bigger than any storm of life. He holds the universe in the palm of his hand and if you’re in Christ He is holding YOU! I think it’s time to retire worry permanently in our lives don’t you?

APPLICATION

Whenever you feel the urge to worry, remember the words of Apostle Paul; be anxious for nothing and Jesus, who told us not to worry. Pray instead.