Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Matthew 6: 34 (NKJV)
Scripture: Luke 10: 38-42
So many of us are full of worry and riddled with anxiety. That isn’t how God wants us to be. This devotion looks at how we can stop worrying and put our trust in Him.
You know, we spend so much of our lives worrying. We worry about the decisions we have to make. We worry about making the wrong decisions. We worry about if we make the wrong decisions, how easily can they be corrected? We worry how these decisions will be viewed by others. Will they think the decision was based on factors other than what they were based on?
We worry about so many things.
Worry and Anxiety
These days we hear more talk about people having anxiety. Anxiety is a feeling of worry or nervousness. Worry is to give way to anxiety and focus on the difficulties and trouble you are experiencing.
While some anxiety is good in some stressful situations, it can also become excessive. Anxiety can take over our lives at times.
That is bad, because it can make us to not function. It can impact your family, your health, your job – your whole life. For this post, we are going to use the terms worry and anxiety interchangeably.
Why Do We Do It?
So, sit back and ask yourselves this: why should we worry so much? The Bible says, “Be anxious for nothing…” (Phil. 4: 6 NASB). Nothing. Zippo. Zilch. It doesn’t say worry about this little thing but not that. It says N-O-T-H-I-N-G.
Why not? It says, “… but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Phil. 4: 6 NASB). We have God to lean on.
Jesus spoke to Martha about worrying. “But the Lord answered and said to her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only a few things are necessary, really only one….’” (Lk. 10: 41-42 NASB).
I like that word, too: bothered. You see, Martha was worried about what she was doing and how things were going to take place. All of these worries were distracting her from what she should have been doing – concentrating on Jesus.
That Is So Us
Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? How many times have we done that? We are anxious about our plans, our futures – everything.
And in all our worrying we forget one thing – Jesus. We forget He can help us with our problems. We forget He knows our futures.
Sometimes, we even forget to include Him. We have Someone to do all the worrying for us. He gladly lets us give all our anxieties and fears to Him because He cares so much for us (I Pet. 5: 7).
Ooops, another word added to the mix: fears. So, instead of worrying all the time, giving in to our anxiety, and focusing on our fears, we can pray to Him, praise Him, and thank Him for loving us and caring for us.
How Do We Apply That?
It is so hard these days not to worry. How do we let Someone do all the worrying for us? It is a conscious decision.
We have to make up our minds that, when we start feeling the anxiety build, we will turn it over to God and let Jesus do the worrying. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? Oh, how we wish it was!
I know it isn’t. Me, personally — I like to keep an aspect under my control to gnaw on. Yep, that keeps me in control.
That is the sticking point, isn’t it? We are not in control, so we have to gnaw and chew as much as we can. We are not in control, so we have to worry about the aspects that we can’t control.
Shouldn’t we just give it to God? He knows the plans for our lives (Jer. 29: 11). He is ultimately in control (Ps. 99: 1-3). We have to every day — sometimes a couple of times a day — make the decision and say it out loud that we give it to God. We have to tell Satan he isn’t winning this battle.
We know Satan is in control of this world. Look what I John 5: 19 says, “We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.” That throws another kink into the line, doesn’t it?
If Satan is in control of this world, and he wants to do everything in his power to wreck our relationship with God, he is going to have a field day when we get anxious. He is going to keep throwing it at us that God can’t alleviate our anxiety. God is not going to make it right for us.
Satan is full of baloney. God has already defeated him; he just doesn’t know it yet.
So, when you get anxious, tell yourself: God has got this. Say God loves me and will provide for me. You may not believe it at first, but keep telling yourself that. Yes, I am a fake-it-until-you-make-it girl. If you keep telling yourself that — and you see how God will keep supporting you and providing for you — it will get easier.
Scriptures That Comfort Us
When I get really anxious, I like to fall back on the Scriptures. There are so many different verses that help us.
I have always liked Joshua 1: 9, which says, “… Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD Your God will be with you wherever you go” (NIV).
Psalm 94: 19 says, “When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy” (NIV).
One of the most comforting to many is the 23rd Psalm. It talks about several things Jesus does to ensure our worry level is not through the roof. Read through it, and let His comfort wash over you.
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever” (Ps. 23 KJV emphasis added).
Gracious Heavenly Father. We worry too much. We try to make decisions on our own and end up going in circles with our stomachs in knots. Lord, You know what is best for us. You are in control of what will happen to us. Father, we cast all of our anxieties on You. This will enable us to concentrate on thanking You — thanking You for being the great, majestic, caring Heavenly Father that You are. Amen.
What do you think? How can you make a conscious decision to let Jesus do the worrying and give God control? Leave me a comment below (about this or anything else) or head over to my Facebook group for some interactive discussion.
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