ANXIETY, WORRY and TRUST

Philippians 4:6

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Anxiousness is something I definitely struggle with on a daily basis.  I am a thinker and worrier and a doer. I am constantly putting my energy into those things, which ultimately I know I can't control.  God tells us in Philippians 4:6 not to be anxious by anything but rather to turn it all over to him in prayer, petition and with thanks.  It is so simple to conceive, yet so hard to do.

The things I struggle with in regards to worry are of course, those closest to my heart, my family.  I have learned to let go of money worries, for God has never failed to provide those things I need,the things which only money can buy.  I have learned to turn over the little things in life, such as work frustrations,  car problems, and school, I know that God has my back there too.  

But when it comes to my family, my marriage especially, I seem to go blank and forget all the wonderful ways God has had my back and provided for me.  I know when I can finally let go of the worry, He will have my back here to, but yet I struggle.

Matthew 6:27 

Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

My constant worrying and anxiety over my children and spouse, definitely robs me of time.  While I know that worrying about whether my teenager will pass her classes successfully at school or my spouse will remain true and faithful or decided he's ready to walk the walk of the Christian man he tries not to be, will not change the outcome of those events, I still lay awake at night worrying.  It's hard NOT to worry when your a parent or spouse and when you see the people whose lives are so closely intertwined with yours, struggle on deep and serious levels and with issues that could completely alter the path their lives are on.   It's especially hard, when you watch them make mistakes that you have already made.  

Matthew 6:34 

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

So what do you do, when you are struggling with worry and anxiety.  When the enemy's foothold is  robbing you of sleep and slowing you down.  You turn to GOD!  You trust GOD, you have no choice.  You lay all of your worry, all of the anxiety at his feet and TRUST him to handle the situations that are causing you so much damage.  It's hard and it's difficult to do, but it can be done.  Go down in prayer and ask the Lord to help YOU let go of your worries and anxiety and trust in HIM to handle the situations at hand.  I have to do this multiple times a day still, but each time I do, a little bit of the heaviness that was holding me down and holding me back is lifted and I gain the ability to Trust, just a little more the next time something threatens one of my family members.  

Psalm 91:2 I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."

Because I desire to overcome Satan and eventually banish him from my life and the lives of my loved ones, my only TRUE choice when worry and anxiety (which are some of Satan's weapons he uses to bring us down) is to turn it all over to my GOD.  I have learned, that though it's hard for me to do, by turning everything over to God and releasing those worries and anxieties to him, I essentially am getting out of his way and allowing him to really work on those things that have caused me so much worry and anxiety.  If I hold on to even a smidgen of the anxiety or worry, I will be in God's way.  Trust our Father to handle whatever situations cause you worry and anxiety and remove from Satan that foothold with which he is trying to get in and destroy your life.


Today's Prayer:


Oh Father,how thankful I am to have You, who loves me so much, you are more than willing to carry the burdens and worries in my life.  I release to you all the anxiety and worry that consumes me.  You know the the circumstances that I worry about and how I struggle with releasing them to You.  I am leaning on you to help me release those situations that I feel compelled to worry over and I trust that you have the situations in Your perfect control; therefore releasing from me the need to control, worry and stress.


In Jesus Name

GARY RHEA-TRUST IN THE LORD