The Old English
root from which we get our word "worry" means "to
strangle." If you have ever really worried, you know how it does strangle
a person! In fact, worry has definite physical consequences: headaches, neck
pains, ulcers, even back pains. Worry affects our thinking, digestion, and
even our coordination.
The antidote to
worry is the secure mind: "The peace of God . . . will guard your hearts
and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:7). When you have the secure
mind, the peace of God guards you and the God of peace guides you!
Talking to God
about everything that concerns us and Him is the first step toward victory over
worry. The result is that the "peace of God" guards the heart and the
mind. "The peace of God" stands guard over the two areas that create
worry—the heart (wrong feeling) and the mind (wrong thinking).
The
prescription for receiving God's peace:
The direction is
twofold: don't worry about anything; and pray about everything in a spirit of
thanksgiving and gratitude. The result will be 'the peace of God.' This is the
peace with which God fills the believer as he or she stands firmly in their position in
Christ. It is to be distinguished from the peace with God which is the result
of justification (Romans 5:1), and the portion of every believer. This deeper
peace of walking with God is said to be incomprehensible to the merely natural
mind. It surpasses anything the unspiritual mind can grasp; it 'keeps on
guarding, protecting the mental, emotional, and spiritual life from enemy
intrusion of that which would spoil God's peace.
The
prescription for maintaining God's peace:
(1) To guard our mental life (what we allow ourselves to think upon or think
about).
(2) We are to meditate continually on the things that are true, honorable, right, pure, acceptable, and praiseworthy.
(3) To practice the things which we are taught. The
result will mean not only possessing the peace of God, but the God of peace Himself.
Seven
Reasons Not to Worry (Matthew
Chapter 6)
1) The same
God who created life in you can be trusted with the details of your life.
2) Worrying
about the future hinders your efforts for today.
3) Worrying
is more harmful than helpful.
4) God
does not ignore those who depend on Him.
5) Worrying
shows a lack of faith in God, and a lack of understanding God.
6) Worrying
keeps us from the real challenges God wants us to pursue.
7) Living one
day at a time keeps us from being consumed with worry.
