Worry about Nothing; Pray about Everything

- Paul was writing this letter to the church in Philippi from a prison. He certainly had a reason to be anxious but he discovered a secret that takes anxiety away and replaces with peace and joy. Essentially, Paul was saying...worry about nothing; pray about everything :).
- Prayer with gratitude is the antidote to anxiety. Before we make any requests, we should thank God for Who He is and for what He has already done for us. Thank Him for His presence, protection, and provision. Thank Him for His faithfulness, wisdom, and grace. As we come to our Abba Father in prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, we grow in our faith and in our relationship with Him. Prayer may not change our situations but it changes us.
- "Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7) We can always bring everything to the Lord in prayer. Take your problems (every worry/every concern/every burden) to Jesus and leave them there. Let go. Don't pick them back up. Don't carry around weights of anxiety; they will keep you from being useful. Let go and walk in freedom, in faith, and in obedience. Instead of fretting or worrying, pray. Trust in God's loving sovereignty. Trust God's answers (God's will and God's ways) and God's timing. I pray. I trust. I rest.
- Anxiety is fear of the unknown. If we think long enough, we'll find something to be anxious about because so many things are unknown to us. We must remember that what is unknown to us is completely known to our Heavenly Father. God can be trusted in every anxious situation. He knows what we need even before we ask Him. Don't waste your energy on worries and stress. Don't let anxiety steal your joy. We don't know what the future has in store, but we do know we can trust God's heart and God's Word. We become anxious when our focus is on the circumstances and/or the unknown, instead of the All-knowing, All-loving, All-powerful God. "To care is a virtue, but to foster cares is sin." (Muller)
- Prayer: Father, thank You for being in control and for caring about me! Thank You for always loving me and listening to me! Whenever I have any anxious thoughts, please replace them with complete trust and calm confidence in You and with peace that only You can give. I want to let go of all my burdens and rest in You. In Jesus' Name, I pray. Amen.

"I am no longer anxious about anything, as I realize the Lord is able to carry out His will, and His will is mine. It makes no matter where He places me, or how. That is rather for Him to consider than for me; for in the easiest positions He must give me His grace, and in the most difficult, His grace is sufficient." (~Hudson Taylor)