Worrier to Worshiper

July 28, 2015  - By Gretchen Saffles

Reading: Philippians 4:4-7

Be Still And Know

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.” Philippians 4:4

Drink Deep From The Well:

I used to call myself a “worrier,” as if that made an excuse for me to fret and be anxious over every little thing. Before I found out that worrying was considered a sin, I summed it up to a bad character trait I was born with. I remember studying Philippians 4:4-7 for the first time and the Lord opening my eyes to the absolutes in the verses. 

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (emphasis mine)

Always. Anything. Everything. All. These absolutes are not words to be read over. They are words to live by. This text sets us free from the prison of worry. The Lord gives us the cure for worry – prayer, thankfulness, and joy. In the goodness of our Savior, Jesus Himself told us in Matthew 6:25-34 not to worry about our life or the day to come, because the our Heavenly Father already knows what we need. Jesus knew we would worry, and He took care to tell us what our response to an anxious heart should be.

In Philippians 4:4-7, Paul didn’t give us exceptions to the “worry not” and “rejoice always” rule. He didn’t say, when you get that diagnosis from the doctor, or when your bank account is getting low, or when you are single and waiting for marriage…then you can worry! No. He never gives us an out. Why? Because worry steals our joy, and we serve a God who is able to all things (even the impossible – Luke 1:37). Worry does not add one single minute to our life. However, prayer, gratitude, and worship are the avenues to joy. Even in the most dire and trying circumstances, God is faithful, and through coming before Him and laying our requests at His feet, we can rest in His peace.

Martin Luther once said we are to “pray and let God worry.” Prayer is the door to the freedom our hearts need from the prison of worry. When we pray with a thankful heart, trusting in God’s sovereignty and loving will, we trade our fretting souls for a peace that surpasses all understanding. We go from being a worrier to a worshiper. The peace that takes its stand at the gate of our hearts to guard them from anxiety is from Christ Jesus. The cross of Christ grants us the peace we need. Jesus is the reason we rejoice always, fret over nothing, and are thankful for everything. 

By God’s grace, we can rejoice “in the Lord” in every situation. Let us pray and let God do the worrying, and let us worship Him who can do all things. Always

Ask And Apply:

  1. What does it look like to daily rejoice always, pray about everything, and give thanks in all things?
  2. Do you struggle with worry? How does prayer and gratitude make us into worshipers?

Today I Learned:

Through Jesus, I can be set free from the prison of worry to be a worshiper.

Today I Will:

Today I will rejoice in the life the Lord has given me and pray about the situations that come. I will choose gratitude over complaining or fretting and rest in the peace of God.

Pray BIG:

Father, we thank You that You give us a reason to rejoice at all times, in all things. You are sovereign and You know what we need before we even ask. We pray that Your will would be done in our lives and that we would have gracious hearts to accept what is given and not given. We trust You, we rejoice in You, we thank You for the cross. In Jesus Name, Amen.

 

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  1. Danielle Cooke says:

    Philippians 4: 6-7 was the first verse I memoized in this past season. Worry as consuming my thoughts and it provided me with so much peace every time I prayed it. He knew we would worry and he provided so beautifully for us. I’m so thankful for a God who sees what we need and meets us right where we are.

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