It steals hopes and dreams. It steals time. It steals our health and our thought life. It doesn’t discriminate. It steals equally from people of all faiths, all ethnicities, and both genders. There is not a single person on the planet from whom it has not stolen. What is this great thief? Worry.
Here is the good news, worry was defeated on the cross. We have been given weapons to defeat this already defeated foe of worry. So here are a five tips on being set free from a life of worry.
1. Break fellowship with it. Don’t believe the lie that a “worrier” is just who you are. It’s not. Worry is the antithesis of peace and you have the Prince of Peace residing in you.
2. Rejoice. Worship. Meditate on God’s goodness.
3. Pray. But don’t just pray. Pray and believe. Believe you will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Believe His promises are yes and amen. Believe your mustard seed faith will move mountains.
4. Take your thoughts captive. (This is the most important step.) When you find yourself playing the what if game, when you find yourself imagining worse case scenarios STOP! Ask yourself, “Is this thought true, is it worthy of respect, is it just or pure, is it lovely, commendable, excellent or praiseworthy?” Then bombard your thoughts with promises from God. Blast truth about God’s love, His faithfulness, His majesty into your mind. Remind yourself of past victories. Remind yourself you are a son or a daughter. Remind yourself worry was defeated on the cross. And you were not made to carry around dead weight.
5. Imitate Paul. Paul’s life was marked with difficulty. But he always embraced his future with joy. He was not anxious about tomorrow. Even when prophets warned him about a difficulty that lie ahead, he chose to obey God rather than worry about what could happen. He made the most of each day.
Worry has a way of creeping into all of our thought lives. There is no condemnation, my friend. But as soon as you recognize it, cast it out. You are called to walk in peace. You were made to live a life free of anxiety. You were destined to bring Hope to a dying world. A worrier is not who you are. You are salt and light. You are full of hope. You are full of peace. You are a carefree child of the Most High God!
“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say, rejoice!
Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God. And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of respect, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if something is excellent or praiseworthy, think about these things. And what you learned and received and heard and saw in me, do these things. And the God of peace will be with you.”
Philippians 4:4, 6-9 NET
http://bible.com/107/php.4.4,6-9.net