Break the Cycle of Worry

Break the Cycle of Worry

January 26, 2017

Apparently people have been worrying for a very long time – the New Testament has quite a few passages dealing with it. Jesus explains repeatedly that worrying doesn’t help anything. It doesn’t add any time to our lives. It doesn’t fix anything. It doesn’t generate any necessary provisions. It is fruitless.  

Instead of worrying about things we cannot control, what does Scripture say that we should do?

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”  Matthew 6:34 NIV

“Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?” Luke 12:25-26 NIV

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:6 NIV

Don’t worry sounds pretty simple but we can probably all testify that it is not.

Praying about our situations might be fairly routine.

But do we pray with thanksgiving?

Have you ever found yourself praying about a difficult situation that is causing you to worry? And in the process of your prayer, your mind drifts off into countless directions.

The next thing you know, you are praying about it again, realizing that you never really finished praying about it in the first place.

As time passes, your mind repeats the process of trying to figure out what to do and attempting to pray about it at the same time.

That’s not very effective prayer. Wouldn’t you agree?

Only by giving the situation totally to God can we break the cycle of worry.

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”1 Peter 5:7 NIV

Did you catch the verb in this Scripture? “Cast.” This is a deliberate action. It involves choice and a decision. Did you know that the major difference between worry and fear is that we can chose not to worry, but fear is involuntary? If we chose to throw our worries onto God, what can we expect?

“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 4:7 NIV

“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 4:19 NIV

Only God can truly break the cycle of worry in our lives. And only He can fill the remaining void with peace and thanksgiving and meet all our needs. Why would we want anything else? It’s time. Give it to Him.

LORD, it is so easy to worry and so difficult to let it go. May we actively hurl our concerns onto you. After all, you’re the only one who can do anything with them. May we claim your victory and rest in your peace.