Getting Rid of the Suds

{Photo Credit: Creative Commons)

I Have a Secret

Okay, I am getting kind of personal in here today, but being transparent is important in the body of Christ. I have been secretly struggling (not really sharing with anyone in my life) for about a week with worry over this one upcoming “event” in my family’s lives and today is the day. This thing involves a child and there is a special kind of concern we, as parents, have that can so easily turn into worry and worry can turn into anxiety. 

I have had to repent and ask God to forgive me for this worry and anxiety and I have really sought Him through this. (Hopefully, once all is said and done, I can share more details with you my friends, but since it involves my child, I will wait until it is more complete to report more) Needless to say this scripture has been on my mind today. 

Philippians 4:6-7 (MSG)

“Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.”

Now this is not a ‘don’t worry ‘bout a thing’ like Bob Marley says not to worry (or at least I think it was Marley) or even a ‘don’t worry, be happy’ kind of thing circa 1988, thanks Bobby McFerrin, that song is permanently etched in my brain forever! But it is a do not worry- instead pray thing. 

Let’s break this down bit by bit and digest the Word a little together, shall we? 

What is Worry? 

Worry is defined as ‘disturbing oneself with troubling thoughts’ or ‘to torment with cares and anxiety’. Well looks like I need to re-read my own blog, huh? We have talked about casting down thoughts, and that plays a massive roll in overcoming anxiety and worry. (For more on casting down thoughts click here) But I want to concentrate on a few things, line upon line to build up not just your faith, but my own as well. 

When we worry something, (a verb with an object for all you word geeks out there) we agitate it, we stir it up. Think of a washing machine. When the clothes are agitated in the wash the water gets sudsy. Agitate it too much and you have a real Lucille Ball-esque moment happening with suds everywhere! Not a fun experience and a mess to clean up! 

Now when we pray, we take a break from the agitation and allow our minds to calm down. (We allow the suds to dissipate) When we pray we seek God, and He says when we call on Him, he answers! God is faithful. When He says something He will do it. He is not a man so He cannot lie! 

Now we need a good rinse to make things right and get rid of all the suds, right? Well, when we pray God’s peace will wash over us, sealing that assurance that all things work together for the good for them that LOVE Him and are called according to His purpose. 

Overflowing With Jesus, Not Worry

Now one more thing: can we look at the last line of our text? “It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.” I remember displacement thanks to my eighth grade science teacher, Mr. Koelemay. When a glass of water is half full and you add stones one by one the water becomes displaced, rising bit by bit to eventually run out of the glass if you add enough stones. So following that scientific principle, if we add enough Jesus to our lives the worry and anxiety will be forced bit by bit to run out of our lives. No wonder scripture says my cup overflows! 

What is at the center of your life? Be honest. Do you worry about how the bills will get paid? Do you worry that something will happen to your kids? Do you worry about the price of oil, or who will be the next president? I mean do you worry so much that your focus is on the small stuff and not on God? 

Pray. Let Jesus fill you with peace and let that other junk, that worry and anxiety, run out. Share your concerns with God, because he cares for you! Do not worry about a thing, pray and it will be all right and you will be happy! Huh- go figure, now I have those songs in my head again. 

Join the Conversation

How do you battle worry? 

Be blessed and be a blessing and remember that pray is a verb!