Don't worry

From Dr. Jack Graham, Power Point Ministries

November 10, 2006

…do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

--Philippians 4:6

What do you worry about? Money? Your job? Your family?

You know, if you think about it, worry really is useless. It has never solved a problem, never dried a tear, and never changed anything. And most of us spend most of our time worrying about things that will never happen or circumstances we can’t change anyway!

Worry saps your strength, destroys your spirit, and robs you of the joy in life. It takes its toll physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Someone once said, “Worry is assuming responsibility that God never intended for you to have.”

Yet it seems so much easier to worry about things instead of sharing those concerns with God. But that’s exactly what He wants you to do! He wants you to offer your concerns up to Him in prayer.

Today, I want to encourage you to stop worrying about your future, because God’s in control of your future! Don’t worry about your life, because He holds your life in His hands. Don’t worry about anything, but rather, pray about everything!

There’s nothing too great for God. There’s no problem too hard for God to solve and there’s no problem too small for God.

Pray confidently, and ask, seek, and knock continually. Because only in trusting God will you find true contentment in this life.

“worry is assuming responsibility that god never intended for you to have.”

Shift your thinking

Jesus said in John 10:10: "I have come to give you life, and life more abundantly".

You may ask, "If that's true, then how come my life is still miserable? How come I still have to struggle? Why do I have to quarell with my spouse every so often? etc etc..."

Well, the truth is, that's what God really wants for our lives, He wants us to have an abundant life, so that through our lives, His blessings will flow to the people around us and beyond. After all, we are supposed to be His channel of blessings. So, what is the main purpose of God's blessing? His main purpose is to reach out to this whole world, to invite people into His Kingdom.

In Romans 12:2, the Bible says: Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.

So, we need to learn to renew our mind every day. How do we do that? It is essential for us to read and meditate on the Word of God daily. Normally I'd read my Bible when I go to work on public transport, but once last week I had to drive, and somehow the result was, throughout the day I felt uneasy, things didn't go as planned, I even started having negative thoughts, got angry easier, got impatient easier. On that night, I asked God for His forgiveness because I didn't put Him first in my life, I didn't read and meditate on His Word.

I'm not saying that if you started reading Bible in the day, then everything will be fine, no. But my point is, if you love God, you will start reading His word. Jesus also said in Matthew 4:4: "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.' "

Anyway, reading the Bible is only one thing we need to do as Christians, there are many other things that we need to do in order to have an abundant life God has in store for us, such as praying regularly, forgiving those who have hurt our feelings, letting go of the past, set our eyes on God's promises.

I pray that you will start putting God first in your life, and then He will add all our daily needs (Matthew 6:33), God bless you.