STARS OR TRASH – PRAY OR WORRY

Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God – Philippians 4:6

“Most of us can categorize our lives in both positive and negative ways. You could write a glowing list of the positives in your life, and you could then write a list of sobering negatives. Both lists are true, but the focus of each list is different…

…Which list do you spend the majority of your time dwelling on?...

Two women looked through prison bars
One saw mud, the other saw stars.

…Each of us has a choice about how we look at life: We can focus on the mud or lift our eyes and see the stars…

…Paul’s amazing statement, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” He goes on to describe two parts in the contentment process: our part and God’s part. First, our part: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6).

The Living Bible suggests this meaning: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs and don’t forget to thank Him for His answers.” Paul’s exhortation not to worry or be anxious means that our anxiety should be used as a springboard to pray specifically. Our part in the process of learning to be content is a heart choice – a choice to pray rather than be anxious.

Paul commands us to have nothing to do with anxiety and everything to do with prayer. Sadly, many of us reverse this and worry about everything, praying only as a last resort! It’s easier to worry, fret, get heartburn, lose sleep, yell…than it is to pray…

Not only are we to pray specifically, we are to pray with thanksgiving…

Psalm 116:17 helps me to understand what it means to pray with thanksgiving: “I will sacrifice a thank offering to you and call on the name of the Lord.”…When confronted with negative circumstances, we have a choice: Will we pray about the problem or will we worry about it?”