Thoughts on Worry

I have to admit that this post by the TobyMac#SpeakLife page deeply convicted me.  If there is something, one thing, I excel at is worrying.  After all, I am the President of the Worry-Wart Club.  I have expressed repeatedly how I even worry when there seems to be nothing to worry about...I worry I should be worrying about something that I don't know of!

It is tough to be me...

But this post showed me the side of worry I had denied and avoid considering.  The thing is that I justify worrying.  I tend to convince myself that the reason I worry is because I care too much.  It is a sign of my devotion.  It is evidence that my heart is involved.  I see now, that worrying is a sign I have little faith in the Almighty Power of the Creator of it All. And that was hard to swallow.

Jesus is very clear on the matter.  In one statement He says it all:  Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life... (Matthew 6: 25a)

In one statement He sums it all up.  And I still doubt.

In the same context of Matthew 6 where Jesus talks extensively about the futility of worrying, He teaches us how to pray.  I don't think this is coincidental.  Of course it is not!  Every word expressed by The Word has a purpose.  The order of events does too.

I believe that the reason the Lord's Prayer is in the same chapter as His words on how we shouldn't worry was very intentional.  It is through prayer that we can achieve a state of constant communication with Our Lord, which in turn gives us awareness of His Presence and His Revelation, which in turn saturates us with that Peace that surpasses all understanding, derived by the Trust that emerges through our intimate knowledge of Christ.

It is through prayer without ceasing that we can finally be led to a live in which we Seek Him First! It is through constant prayer that we can stop worrying about tomorrow.  It is through prayer that we can understand that worrying would not add a single second to the span of our life.  It is through prayer that we realize the truth in Jesus' Words: 

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (John 14: 27)

Prayer shows us the way...

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11: 28-30)

As my season of worry is about to start while I wait to have my yearly check ups for my Thyroid issues, I need to intentionally hang on to prayer.  I need to call on the Holy Spirit to open my ears and listen to Him speak His Words of Truth to me and ignore the voice of the enemy, so I can trust Him and relay on the fact that God does know what He is doing...therefore, I need not worry about a thing.