John Mulligan’s lesson on Sunday was The Problem of Worry, Part 3: What happens when you choose to pray. This was taken from Phil. 4:6-13. John reminded us that being concerned about an issue is n...
John Mulligan’s lesson on Sunday was The Problem of Worry, Part 3: What happens when you choose to pray. This was taken from Phil. 4:6-13. John reminded us that being concerned about an issue is normal, but when we obsess and overreact we cross over into worry. When we do that, we become self-absorbed and cannot live a Christian life of helping others.
The first line in this reading is “Do not be anxious about anything.” Don’t be anxious, but present your requests to God in prayer. Prayer is a great privilege of believing. Now, of course, God knows our troubles, but He wants to help because He is a loving God. He wants us to talk to Him and pray to Him, rather than make bad choices on our own.
When we ask God for help, we are seeking clarity, guidance and strength. James 1:5, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” We need clarity to see the whole issue correctly. We ask for guidance to show us the right path. We ask for strength to do the right thing, especially when it’s difficult to do.
Phil. 4:6 continues “...by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Let us not bypass the thanksgiving part. As you ask for what you need, do so with the spirit of thankfulness, and thank God for the many blessings you already have.
Verse 7 then tells us, “and the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” This isn’t to say He will solve your problem, but He will ease your mind and grant you peace about it. God is working on the problem; let Him do His job.
All blessings flow through His glorious love. Remember, (Phil, 4:10-13), “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”
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