By Kim Avery

I’ve spent a lot of time in my life worrying. I’ve worried about tests, exams, and losing my high school locker combination.  I’ve fretted over my choice of colleges, churches, and friends. I’ve been anxious about my appearance, performance, and people dropping by when the house wasn’t clean.

I’ve conjured up images of poverty, cancer, and global warming and allowed them to play havoc with my life. I can even worry about how much I worry. Yup, if it’s out there, like a dog with a bone, I’m sure I’ve worried it to death.

For many, worry can easily become a habit, a way of life. This month we will look at The Worry Cure and how it can literally change your life. It is found in Philippians 4:6-7.

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7

From this one passage we will explore the Four Essential Steps to a Worry-Free Life.

Recognize

Respond

Release

Replace

Recognize

This week we will look at the first step in The Worry Cure which is to recognize 2 different things: 1) what you are worried about, and 2) who your God is.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6

In this phrase, ‘”by prayer and supplication…,” God’s Worry Cure gives us two key words that show us where to begin to live an anxiety free life.

1.  Prayer – this word in the Greek, proseuche, means to call on a deity.  In other words, recognize that you have a God, a divine God. He is much bigger than your problem and much bigger than you. You are not in this alone. Call out to Him.

Our default thinking in troublesome situations usually sounds like this, “If it’s going to be, it’s up to me.” Thankfully, nothing could be further from the truth.  As you obey God’s command to pray, your soul will quickly be reminded that in reality you have a very HUGE God and to Him the biggest human problems are very small.

2.  Supplication – This Greek word, deesis, means to make specific requests. Worries that are undefined can linger over you like a black cloud. Clear requests left at the throne of God will quickly remove the vague anxiety that haunts your heart.

Instead of just saying I’m worried about money, dig deep enough to see that it’s the bill from the hospital that has you concerned. Perhaps it’s not really the global economy that keeps you up at night but the knowledge that your husband receives his work review on Tuesday.  That pit in your stomach could be a signal of stress as you wonder when you will ever find time to help your son with his math before the big test later this week.

As you bring each specific need to your all-powerful God, you will begin to see clear answers and provision for each request.

Be worry free today:

Search your heart and identify each specific need.

Write that need (with as little or much detail as you would like) in the comment box below

Pray (proseuche) thanking God that He is able to provide all you need. Ask (supplication/deemis) specifically for what you need and for the request in the comment box right above yours.

(Optional) You may also include the Scripture promise that God has laid on your heart to encourage you in this situation.

Click the submit button knowing that your worry has been entrusted to the Lord and He will respond to it in the wisest, most loving way possible.

Walk away and leave that worry behind for the entire day. God’s got you covered.