1 peter 5:7 ; Phillipian 4: 6-8; Matthew 6:25-34
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Why worry when you can pray
Trust Jesus He’ll be your stay
Don’t be a doubting Thomas
Rest fully on His promise
Why worry, worry, worry, worry
When you can pray.
The lyrics of this old hymn sound out a crucial warning. The phrase “why worry, worry, worry, worry”, seem to depict the restless nature of a worrisome soul, tossed up and down in a continuous motion of nothingness –nothing achieved, nothing resolved, nothing gained. However, the spirit continues to perspire from the ardent exhaustion of an endless turmoil of worry.
Worrying is like sitting on a rocking chair all day long and going nowhere; no progress is made at the end of the day. Meanwhile your spiritual muscle aches from the marathon exercise of an exasperated soul. No positive results to crown all the efforts, if anything, pain, confusion, and frustration are the visitors at the end of this futile engagement!
Worry questions God’s ability to deliver, heal provide, protect, or effect a change – this is like a slap on God’s face. We insult HIM over and over again with our constant worry. I shudder to even conceive that we treat God this way.
The Bible instructs us to cast our care (1 Peter 5:7); and to be anxious for nothing (Philippians 4:6-8). Moreover, the Bible is full of many promises that cater to our needs at any point in time (Psalm 91; 121: 1-8; Isaiah 26:3; Hebrews 13:5; Matthew 6:25-34; and many others). These promises should suffice in any situation.
Let us learn to lay hold of God’s promises each time the beast-like spirit of worry tries to attack. Read the word, confess it, and stand your ground – this is the only thing that avails against the spirit of worry.