We certainly can’t end a week’s discussion on worry without this key verse from Philippians.
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4: 6-7 NIV)
I love how The Message version describes this passage:
6-7 Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.
Rick Warren reminds us that worry is unreasonable, unnatural, unhelpful and unnecessary. Have you noticed that you often worry about things you can’t change—like the economy or a future we can’t control. Worrying about things we can’t change is useless and unreasonable.
Jesus tells us to look at the birds of the air, they do not sow or reap, and yet the Father feeds them. Humans are the only part of God’s creation that worry—worry is unnatural. Does worrying really make a difference anyway—“Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” Worrying can make us miserable and it is unhelpful because it doesn’t change a thing. Jesus reminds us that “If God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow, won’t he more surely care for you O ye of little faith?” My dad used to always tell me to not worry for “God takes care of His children.” He probably got that from the words of Paul… “God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). Instead of worrying let’s trust Our Lord and see wonderful things happen “when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.”
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