What do you usually do when you experience anxiety, or when you worry? I usually can't stop thinking about whatever worries me. I can't sleep or concentrate. I'm distracted by what I fear will happen, or by what's happening that I can't stop.
Is that true for you?
If so, God gives us a way to be free from anxiety and worry. I know from experience that what I'm about to share is true.
First, God commands us not to worry or have anxiety. This means two things:
1. It's not God's will for us to worry or have anxiety, so much so that we are sinning if we do it. But don't let that discourage you; look at number two.
2. Because God commands us not to worry, we actually have a choice; we have control over worrying or not worrying. It's up to us.
So God commands us not to worry.
But He doesn't stop there. He tells us what to do instead.
Pray.
- Thank Him for what we have.
- Ask Him for what we don't have,
- Ask Him to take away whatever we have that is harmful to us.
When we do these things, God promises to replace worry and anxiety with a divine and incomprehensible peace.
This is an example of how it has happens for me.
Say I'm worrying about a financial need. I've been sick and I need money for a specific doctor's bill that I just don't have. I'm beginning to worry. So I pray, first thanking God for the services the doctor provided, and that I'm actually doing better. Then I ask God for the specific amount of money I need. I tell him why I need it (though of course He already knows,) and I tell Him when I need it. After I've poured out my heart to God, one of three things may happen, resulting in a divine, incomprehensible peace:
1. God provides the money. Someone feels led by His Spirit to give me the exact amount I need, though I never asked them for it.
2. I no longer feel the need to think about the money, though I can't explain why. I don't have any money yet. And I don't know when or if it will come. But for reasons I can't explain, I feel absolutely no need to think about it any more.
3. The due date for the bill is three days away, and I still have no money, or any guarantee that I will have money. Yet I still feel no need to think about the bill.
In all three cases, after praying my heart out, I am no longer distracted by thoughts about the money at all, though I can't explain it. I'm free from anxiety.
You can also be free.
This is how.
What are you worried about right now? (Be very specific.)
First, thank God for what you have, for every blessing in your life you can think of, at least two blessings.
Second, tell God exactly what you're worried about and why you're worried about it.
Third, ask him to give you what you lack, and to take away whatever is causing you harm.
Keep asking until you no longer feel distracted by the thoughts at all. It should feel like a gradual lessening of a need even to pray any more. Your prayer will fade into thoughts about other things in your life. You worry will fade away. This is God's incomprehensible peace.
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