Instead of Worrying, Start Praying

“In everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6 NIV).

Worry won’t do you any good. But don’t just eliminate it from your life. God always replaces a negative with a positive. God always has something better for you.In the case of worry, replace it with prayer.

Right after God reminds us not to worry in Philippians 4:6, he follows it up with this: “In everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6 NIV).

Don’t panic, Paul says, but pray!

If you stopped worrying, you’d have so much more free time on your hands. It would create a great vacuum, a void in your life. Pray during that time.

If everyone who says they don’t have time to pray would spend their time praying instead of worrying, they’d have a whole lot less to worry about.

Notice the Bible says to pray “In everything.” Some people think God is only interested in you praying about “religious” matters. But that’s just not true. God is interested in everything in your life.

Also note the word petition. It is a specific, detailed request. Get specific with God. Tell him exactly what you want and what you need. Most people pray too vaguely.

In 1 Peter 5:7 the Bible says, “God cares for you, so turn all your worries over to him” (CEV). God wants us to take our problems to him, to pray instead of worrying.

I remember a few years ago reading a study from a life insurance company that found people who attend church once a week live almost 6 years longer than the general public. Why? Perhaps people who attend church every week are more likely to pray than to worry.

No problem is too big for God’s power or too small for God’s concern.

 

https://pastorrick.com/instead-of-worrying-start-praying/?roi=echo7-34614694725-53474664-aad4fce633195b52da4ba94418a3b7f7

 

AS YOU LOOK at the day before you, you see a twisted, complicated path, with branches going off in all directions. You wonder how you can possibly find your way through that maze. Then you remember the One who is with you always, holding you by your right hand. You recall My promise to guide you with My counsel, and you begin to relax. As you look again at the path ahead, you notice that a peaceful fog has settled over it, obscuring your view. You can see only a few steps in front of
you, so you turn your attention more fully to Me and begin to enjoy My Presence.
The fog is a protection for you, calling you back into the present moment. Although I inhabit all of space and time, you can communicate with Me only here and now. Someday the fog will no longer be necessary, for you will have learned to keep your focus on Me and on the path just ahead of you.

Yet I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me into glory.
PSALM 73 : 23 – 24

Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully,
even as I am fully known.
1 CORINTHIANS 13 : 12

=JESUS CALLING=

 

Get Your Priorities Straight

 

Most of you are doing too much right now. Your schedules are too busy. You have so many irons in the fire that the fire is about to be put out. You’re smothering it.

How do you know when you’re doing too much in your life? How do you know when you’re out of God’s will? How do you know if all the things you’re doing are what God expects you to do or you just put those expectations on yourself?

The answer is simple: You’re always tired. It is not God’s will for your life to always be tired. God never intended for you to go around with that heavy a load.

In Matthew 11:28-30 (TEV), Jesus said: “Come to me, all of you who are tired from carrying your heavy loads and I will give you…” … more loads? Is that what He says? “I’ll just dump more on you. We’ll add to your schedule.” No, He says, “I’ll give you rest.” The yoke I will give you is easy and the load I will put on you is light.’

What’s got you burdened? Most of us carry a yoke of burden that we’ve put on ourselves because of unresolved guilt and unrealistic expectations. We’re trying to prove that we matter.

You don’t have to prove you matter to God. You simply do.

 

https://my.bible.com/users/CamsPajaroja/reading-plans/135-rick-warrens-daily-devotional/subscription/202661170/day/271/segment/0