Why Worry When You Can Pray

I saw a bumper sticker recently that said, 'If you worry, why pray!'  It stuck in my mind the entire day as I went through my normal routine.  Although it was not a normal day.  Everything seemed off that day.  I just felt like crying all day.  I wasn't feeling all that great.  It seemed like anything that could go wrong, went wrong.  I felt sad on the inside, but kept smiling on the outside.  Isn't that what we all do though?  We have something going on in our lives and we want to keep it all to ourselves.  I am not saying that there is anything wrong with being a private person but it is also okay to let others know that something is wrong and you need a little prayer. 

When we worry I believe that we tie God's hands.  Even if we have prayed, our worrying makes us work to think of ways to try and fix the situation ourselves instead of turning it over to God completely.  Often times my "fixing" only creates more problems.  What good does worrying do?  Does it change the situation?  I am a person that is all about solutions.  I don't want to meet to talk about the problem.  Let's meet to talk about the solution. And the best solution to any problem is to turn it over to God.  I remember times when I would cry and cry wondering if God was listening to me. After all, He couldn't possibly be listening to me because it was now the third week and I was still struggling with the same problem.  I knew all the right things to do.  Just as I am sure the ones reading this today know all the right things to do.  The Bible tells us to 'Cast our cares on Him for He careth for you'. We have all been told since we were children to take your burdens to the Lord and leave them there.  But we are such a microwave generation.  We want everything quick, fast and in a hurry.  There isn't anything necessarily wrong with that but when God is at work molding and shaping us, sometimes quick, fast and in a hurry can be two years. Now that was just my time frame on one particular situation.  Yours could be completely different.  Whatever the time frame may be, we should have the confidence to know that He is always at work.  The storm won't last always and we should never stop praying.  You see, God isn't like a parent who after a while grows tired of a child asking the same thing over and over again.  He loves to hear our voice and wants us to turn it over to Him.  Why not do it today?  Why not work to develop the habit of praying to God for absolutely everything?  He already knows and He is waiting for you to turn it over to Him. And even if it takes, what you consider to be a long time frame, just know that He will sustain you and be a fence all around you, no matter how big or how small the problem may be.  Trust Him.  He can work it out.  Let's change our habits, instead of worrying PRAY!


Dear Lord,

I feel like I have been in this storm too long.  I prayed a while ago and nothing changed.  Today I am coming to you and finally turning it all over to you.  I'm tired of worrying and wondering when things are going to get better.  I am going to stop focusing on the problem and instead focus on you.  I know that you are able.  I also know that you will sustain me.  In Jesus' Wonderful Name Amen.