Philippians 4:6-7New International Version (NIV)
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
What is the strongest nation in the world? It is the imagination! And worry is a waste of the imagination. Jesus says (Matthew 6:27) “Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?” So worrying does you no good. In fact, it distracts you from the real task at hand. You cannot fully concentrate on God’s plan for your life if you let worry interfere. Where does worry come from anyway? It comes from the deceiver, the father of doubt and lies and it is a way to prevent you from following God’s will and plan for your life. You see, God’s plan is to prosper you and not to harm you. If God be for you, who can stand against you? So why worry?
Dale Carnegie wrote a book called Stop Worrying and Start Living in which he said that 99% of the things we worry about never happen. If that is true, and I believe it is, we spend 99% of our worry time for nothing. What if we applied that time to creating new and better things?
Last April, I went to Honduras on a Dental Mission Trip. During a quiet time alone there, God spoke to me and said “Trust Me!”. My Pastor Don did a Sermon series where he interviewed people about challenges they faced and how they got through them. Each person told how God had spoken to them. Two of them resonated especially with me and I added them to my Word from the Lord!
Here is how they fit: Trust Me! I am all around you! It’ll be OK!
Why worry? The Lord of all Creation promised to never leave nor forsake you. He has spoken to your contemporaries. He promises to be with you and He who promises is faithful. Remember the Footprints poem; “It was then that I carried you.” God will bring you through the valley to the table He has set before you on the other side. Remember things are not happening to you, they are happening for you! God has a plan for your good. Trust Him! When things look bad, look to Jesus and it will always look better!
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace. Helen H. Lemmel, 1922
Lord, You said You would never leave nor forsake us. I believe You! Help us to remain in You and not worry. Your plans for us are great. Lead us in the way You would have us go. In Your name we pray!