Worry’s Antidote

Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not!  Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God.  He will come and save you.”  Isaiah 35:4

 Not all who are anxious are in circumstances that require the vengeance of God.  However, all who are anxious about the things that routinely happen in this life need to know that God will save them from the anxious thoughts – and the resulting consequences of worry.  Women have a tendency to overeat, lose sleep, talk too much, and become short tempered when they get anxious.  What causes the worry and how do we deal with it? 

A lady recently told me that she is losing sleep over her high school graduate not wanting to go to college – but unable to find work locally.  Another recently told me that their family finances are a mess.  She has charged up her credit cards to the max and she is concerned about losing her house.  Yet another woman has indicated she is coming to the end of her rope with some neighbors over a ridiculous misunderstanding.  She misses her friend and is worried about how to mend the relationship.  Still another talked to me about a problem with a new boss – it’s worrisome to think that you might have to completely change the way you work to please someone who seems to know nothing about your job.  All of these situations are causing these women to worry.  All of them are Christians. 

I listen to the predicaments that many women find themselves in and I can sympathize.  I know they are uncertain about how things will work out.  I understand that they are trying to do the right thing before God, even if they did not on their way into these circumstances. They know they need to exercise their faith – but how? 

I recently heard a sermon where my Pastor said, “ Prayer and thanksgiving are the antidote to worry.”  He was teaching from Philippians 4: 4-7 which say:  Rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say it again: Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all.  The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 

For some reason when we worry we forget that God is sovereign over all, that it is He who can give us peace.  But, that peace dos not automatically come to the Christian.  We must exercise our faith by bringing our prayers and petitions with thanksgiving before Him. These verses remind us that He is near, He will hear when we pray.  We understand prayers and petitions but why would God expect us to be thankful in worrisome situations?  

If we believe our Bibles as we say we do then we have to come to an understanding that God uses all of our circumstances to grow our faith in him and our character so that we honor and glorify Him regardless of the circumstances.  When we offer prayers on behalf of the ones we are worried about – including ourselves – then we put them in the hands of the Lord.  We are acknowledging that we do not have the power to change the circumstances or correct the problems – but He does.  And He will – in His time and not ours.  Anticipating the answers to our prayers and God’s faithfulness in answering them are reasons to be thankful.   

He also promises peace.  Our peace comes from the humility that admits we cannot change a thing.  All of the change needs to be left in the hands of the One with the wisdom and grace to do it right the first time.  We may have some responsibility to do what needs to be done.  In the cases above, we need to pray, thank God for the opportunities He is presenting and then advise our children, stop overspending, approach the one who has hurt us, and work as we are instructed, as unto the Lord.  We cannot change other people – only how we approach the problem.  

Approaching the problem is how the Apostle Paul ended that passage in Philippians 4.  Verses 8 and 9 say this:  Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.  Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice.  And the God of peace will be with you. 

When we are anxious we need to replace the anxious thoughts with true and noble thoughts about the God we serve.  He is able to take any situation we face and turn it around.  He has promised never to leave us nor forsake us.  We must place our faith in Him and not on our own plans and schemes.  Peace comes from trusting Him to enable us to do what we can and leave the rest up to Him. 

Indeed, the antidote to worry is prayer and thanksgiving to the only One with the power to change anything.