Worry about Nothing, Pray about Everything

The Bible tells us… “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Phil. 4:6

It sounds so simple, but putting that into action isn’t always easy. We give our cares, concerns, worries to the Lord, and then, for some unknown reason, we try to take them back. Why, oh why, do we do this to ourselves?

When I have that “uh-ha” moment and realize that I’m trying to carry the weight of the world on my shoulders, I tend to do the little palm smack on the forehead and think duh!!! I mean, why would I want to carry these burdens when the Lord has offered to carry them for me? It’s times like that when I need to really take a deep look inside myself and see if I really am trusting the Lord. Am I really letting go of the worry and praying or am I just praying and continuing to worry?

Thankfully, I have a sign right by my front door that reminds me to worry about nothing, pray about everything. It’s this constant reminder that helps me when I’m starting to feel the stress of all the many little details piling up on any given day. When I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed by the huge checklist or stack of paperwork before me, I can take that deep breath and talk to the Lord. He will hear me and listen to me no matter what time of day. He’s never too busy to listen. His calls never go to voicemail. He is always there.

When we first found out that we’d be moving to Japan, my heart sank. We had so many plans already being set in motion. Munchkin had just purchased the project truck to work on with her Daddy. My mind began to race as I tried to even comprehend all that would be involved in getting ready for an overseas move. There were so many details to figure out, so much paperwork to get done, so much research to do… In that moment, I couldn’t see past the immediate.

As time has passed, we’ve come to accept the change even as we wonder if we’ll actually get cleared to go with all that is going on with D. There is still lots to get done, and the checklist and paperwork still need to be finished. Yet, the task doesn’t seem quite as daunting as His peace has washed over me. Prayer… my prayers and the prayers of others have calmed the storm that was brewing inside as I tried to wrap my head around everything. Oh, don’t get me wrong, there are still days that I just want to crawl back in bed and pull the covers over my head, but now, I’m able to move forward with more confidence as I remember that the Lord is in control.