when i was younger, i used to set on the steps right outside of my apartment i shared with my family...and write early in the morning. i dont remember what i was writing about. probably life or what i looked forward to when i grew up to be an adult. i wanted to be different. i remember it was early sometimes in the morning i would go sit out there. and my mama would be cookiing breakfast. she'd step her head out to look at me and many times than not ask me, "what are you thinking about?" or "what are you doing?" and my answer was always...nothing. sometimes i was worried. sometimes i was joyful. sometimes i was really really ahppy and went to Bible study tonight and recalled this story...
it was a good lesson about not worrying. continued confirmation about the things that i really love and really look forward to in the future...no worries (easier said than do though, right?) but i was captivated by a few verses in Phillippians that I'd like to share and that jumped out to me and truly will be on my mind for the rest of the week and repeated in my head like a song that just wont go away...maybe it could be the same for you.
Phillippians 4:4-6 (NIV) 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
The words just sounded like a loving mother...like something you know your mom would tell you and the steps are easy..imagine God's voice whisper these things to you...
(1) Rejoice in me (2) Rejoice again because you really have nothing to worry about and (3) let everybody see this joy inside of you because your joy allows them to see me. I am ALWAYS here with you! (4) Be anxious about nothing. It's not worth your time. Just (5) pray and (6) petition to me with a thoughtful heart and (7) tell me what you need.
When I read the verses..this is what i heard ^ but the thing that jumped out to me was that God wanted me to pray, rejoice, rejoice, pray, petition, let everybody see Him and LASTLY make my request known to Him. You know how people say that you don't have because you don't ask? I believe God wants us to be worry-less and full of His likeness and THEN make the request because He already knows what it is that we need. By verbalizing it, we make it aware to ourselves..not really to God...what our need is. With all that rejoicing and praying etc. our petition to God is just an expectation because of our obediance. How freakin kewl is that?
We must understand that we are responsible to God and He is responsible for us. Worrying is just a display of a faithless attitude.
And daily I have to praise Him and just say..I love the Lord. I don't think a thousand tongues could praise Him on my behalf for how well He has kept me this year. Just wrapped His arms around my life that I've just grown so much.
So I pray that you take the worry and throw it in the trash, friends.
