{"id":750244,"date":"2012-03-19T07:00:15","date_gmt":"2012-03-19T07:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/provbaptist.org\/?p=750244"},"modified":"2012-03-07T18:56:57","modified_gmt":"2012-03-07T18:56:57","slug":"the-source-of-worry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/provbaptist.org\/?p=750244","title":{"rendered":"The Source of Worry"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve been looking at how Philippians 4:6-7 helps us deal with our tendency to worry with a correct view of prayer. This third installment will begin to deal with the source of our worry.<\/p>\n

As we saw last time, the adversity in our lives will either be an inducement to worry, or an invitation to prayer. The choice between those two ways of living is made long before the crisis arises.<\/p>\n

Since we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re more inclined to bring major crises to God in prayer, let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s take a less major situation that occurs in daily life.<\/p>\n

Have you ever misplaced your car keys? When I lose my keys (and it doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t happen often), the last thing I naturally feel like doing is to pray. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m proactive! I want to find my keys, not pray about it. And in my logical mind I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m rationalizing, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153The more time I spend praying<\/em> about the keys, the less time I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll have to actually find<\/em> the keys.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

But here\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the real issue: When I pray about something as annoying and frivolous as losing my car keys, it doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t put the keys into my hands any faster. What it does is far more than that.<\/p>\n

When I pray: first<\/em>, it calms me down; second<\/em>, it gives me God\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s perspective on my problems; and third<\/em> it reminds me that He\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s in control and I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m not\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 and that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s no small thing.<\/p>\n

So, I may be late for a meeting, which for me is a big deal. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s okay. In the long run, that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a very small problem for any of us to have. And most people are gracious enough to allow for the little annoyances that define what it means to be human.<\/p>\n

Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t wait for a major crisis to go to God in prayer. Go to Him at all times. Be anxious for what? \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Be anxious for nothing<\/em>, but pray about everything\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Anything big enough to make you anxious is big enough to be a prayer concern.<\/p>\n

Sometimes our \u00e2\u20ac\u0153worry list\u00e2\u20ac\u009d is longer than our \u00e2\u20ac\u0153prayer list.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d When difficulties arise, we have a choice to make. Because the adversity in your life will either be an inducement to worry, or an invitation to prayer.<\/p>\n

The decision you will make when crisis comes your way is being cultivated right now<\/em> by the patterns and principles that govern your life.<\/p>\n

But what about the source of worry? Where does this worry and anxiety come from?<\/p>\n

You may be intrigued to learn, as I was, that \u00e2\u20ac\u0153worry\u00e2\u20ac\u009d is not necessarily an internal<\/em> condition\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 at least, not exclusively. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s also an instrument of external<\/em> affliction.<\/p>\n

Webster defines worry as something imposed from without, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153to afflict with mental distress or agitation: <\/strong>to make anxious.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Do those tactics sound familiar?<\/p>\n

Based on this definition, it can be seen that worry is oftentimes a choice weapon in the adversary\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s arsenal. Satan uses worry to afflict, to distress, to agitate, and to make God\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s people anxious.<\/p>\n

The enemy doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t want you to pray; he wants you to worry. He wants you to spin your wheels and get nowhere. But God says, through the apostle Paul, that the answer is to\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

Here\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s my paraphrase of these verses:<\/p>\n

\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t worry about anything. Always pray with pleading and thanksgiving and tell God exactly what\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s on your heart; and in so doing, God\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s marvelous peace will guard your hearts and minds [from Satan\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s worrisome afflictions] through Christ Jesus.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

This guarding takes place through prayer and supplication with thanksgiving<\/em>. Thanksgiving in prayer is a lens which discerns the providence of God through the murky haze of circumstance. The adversity in your life will either be an inducement to worry, or an invitation to prayer.<\/p>\n

In the next blog we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll consider the amazing effect of this kind of thankful prayer!<\/p>\n

Until then,
\nPastor Kevin<\/p>\n

.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve been looking at how Philippians 4:6-7 helps us deal with our tendency to worry with a correct view of prayer. This third installment will begin to deal with the source of our worry. As we saw last time, the adversity in our lives will either be an inducement to worry, or an invitation to … <\/p>\n

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