09/07/18 - Phil 4

Sep 7, 2018

Do not worry about anything, but in every situation, present your requests to God with thanksgiving. Phil 4:6 

Worry puts focus on the problem, worship puts focus on God's Greatness over the problem.

If there is one sin that is accepted as unchangeable, it’s worry.  Most people claim to worry, know they shouldn’t worry, even realize it’s a sin… yet hold onto worry as their right and privilege as human beings.  Some even believe it cannot be removed, like it is built into our DNA.

Maybe we need a reality check on the deadliness of worry:

-          Worry is a demonstration of pride.  It is deciding that my will is more important than God’s will.

-          Worry is a lack of trust in God’s ability to take care of us.

-          Worry is about focusing on the problem instead of focusing on God.

-          Worry wastes our thinking on what could happen instead of what IS happening.

-          Worry limits the solutions to what I can create instead of what God can create.

-          Worry often creates the fear we are trying to avoid.

-          Worry makes ME god … which is the ultimate slap in the face of the God we claim to worship.

There’s much more, but the point is clear.  God HATES it when we worry, and Jesus forcefully taught us NOT TO WORRY.  Worry is not to be managed, it must be removed.  We must make a commitment to stop worrying EVERY TIME we find ourselves doing it.

How do you stop worry? Paul tells the Philippian church to immediately present our concerns and requests to God.  But when we do that, don’t just keep praying about them like we’re still worrying nothing will happen.  Present them to God KNOWING that God will handle them.  That’s why we should present them to God with thanksgiving.

When a small child comes to their parent with a need, they come expecting the parent to care for them.  Good parents leave no doubt in their mind that the child will be taken care of.  God is a FAR BETTER parent to us than our earthly parents ever will be.  He promises to take care of us, and has been doing it for people for thousands of years.  So present your requests to Him with a childlike faith and thank Him for always doing the right thing in your life.

Then, whatever happens, you won’t need to worry about it any longer.