struggle and worry

This week we are taking a look at the various struggles that go on around our lives. Yesterday we talked about the spiritual struggle comes with our enemy. That struggle is one we cannot see, and it can be easily missed.

The struggle is real.

One of the struggles that has been so real in my life is the struggle of worry. You might call is anxiety or doubt or uncertainty. There are plenty of other words that come to mind, but it really is plainly marked as worry.

Philippians 4:6-7 NLT

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Last week we took a deep through Philippians 4 which is where those two verses come from. But I return to it in thinking about worry.

Worry is one of those things that kills our God given purpose and His love in our lives. Often worry, as we have heard before, robs us of the joy that God intends for us to have. Furthermore, worry can and will replace strong faith with unstable and paralyzing fear.

Choosing worry is an exit ramp for true peace to make a beeline out of our lives. Turn that around. Choosing prayer and not to worry is literally an on ramp for peace to show up and stay in our lives.

Take a few minutes to consider a couple Biblical truths that can go a long way to remove worry from our lives.

Matthew 11:28 NLT

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.

Worry keeps us from resting. Leaving our worry to God will give us real rest.

John 14:1,27 NLT

Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.… I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.

Trouble will come. Tough times are inevitable. But trusting God doesn’t keep us from worry, but it will not not worry to stick around very long. Peace will stay and struggles will find their way in and then out of our lives.

Worry builds our fear. Trusting God and giving Him our worries brings us rest and peace.

The struggle is real and worry adds to it. I choose rest and peace.

Have you heard of EDITH BURNS?

Edith Burns was a wonderful Christian who lived in San Antonio, Texas . She was the patient of a doctor by the name of Will Phillips. Dr. Phillips was a gentle doctor who saw patients as people. His favorite patient was Edith Burns. One morning he went to his office with a heavy heart and it was because of Edith Burns. When he walked into that waiting room, there sat Edith with her big black Bible in her lap earnestly talking to a young mother sitting beside her. Edith Burns had a habit of introducing herself in this way: "Hello, my name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Then she would explain the meaning of Easter, and many times people would be saved. Dr. Phillips walked into that office and there he saw the head nurse, Beverly. Beverly had first met Edith when she was taking her blood pressure. Edith began by saying,"My name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Beverly said, "Why yes I do." Edith said, "Well, what do you ...

wash feet, sharing hope

John 13:4-5,14 NLT So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him… 14 And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. Jesus set the example we follow. He served. He valued and gave value to others. That is why we choose to serve. For 18 years our church has shared an outreach called back2school, and for 16 of those years we have chosen to give students brand new shoes and socks as well as washing their feet. It is one of the most important parts of this event. Washing feet is a humbling experience where both the give and the receiver learn how to share some moments that might change their lives. Jesus said we should do this. See the verse above. Follow His example, do what He did, and give far more than you will ever know....

Catalyst ticket arrived

My ticket to the Catalyst Conference, in Atlanta Oct 8-10, just arrived. I'm excited!

Michael Harrison's e-devotion

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