A Moment With Pastor Fred
7/12/19
“Worry is the conversation you have with yourself about things you cannot change.
Prayer is a conversation you have with God about things he can change.”
Several years ago, it was my second daughter who reminded me of the Apostle Paul’s counsel in Phil 4:6 – translated in the NLT, “Don’t worry about anything – pray about everything.”
Like you and me the Philippians had anxious hearts. The Greek word means to be pulled apart from different directions. The problem with worry is that it doesn’t seem harmful. “I’m just the worrying type.” Yea, well what if I said I was the murdering type?!
The fact is worry is sin. It denies the goodness of God and contradicts the sovereignty of God. How can I avoid anxiety?
Paul says prayer. So whatever keeps you awake at night; drains your joy; that which you can’t control; frightens you – make it part of your prayer list, “cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” Turn cares into prayers! Phil 4:7 makes a promise – God’s peace will garrison your soul. Such peace isn’t psychological – its supernatural. It transcends human reasoning. Anxieties attack our minds tempting us to lose hope and to fret. God’s peace stands guard over our hearts like a sentry on duty.