I've Got This!

It's probably just me, but does anyone else out there spend time worrying and fretting about all sorts of things?  Just last night I was tossing and turning in bed trying to turn my brain off and get some rest.  This is a problem I have wrestled with for as long as I can remember.  I know.  I know...you are all getting ready to quote the verses from Matthew 6 about worrying to me.  Well, at least that is what my husband usually does, so I know the verses, but in case you don't this is what they say:

²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

²⁸ “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? ³¹ So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

I have jokingly told my husband that I think the punctuation in verse 27 is incorrect and should read more like a challenge than a question. “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life!?”  And I am answering, “Well, I’m sure trying!”  

The truth is that worry just robs you of peace and accomplishes nothing.  You cannot change anything simply by worrying, but prayer…well that is a different story!  Prayer can change EVERYTHING!  Philippians 4:6 has the better answer, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” 

Awhile back I was busy doing about 10 things at once when my 5 year old asked me to make her a sandwich.  I told her that I would make lunch as soon as I finished up the task I was working on.  As I was finishing up, the phone rang and I got distracted with the phone call.  I looked up to see my little girl making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for her brother and her.  I hung up the phone and apologized to her for being distracted.  She looked up at me and smiled giving me a thumbs up she said, “Don’t worry mom, I’ve got this!” 

I wonder how many times God says that to me?  After I have tossed and turned for hours fretting over the latest dilemma, when I finally cry out to God in prayer, does he look down at me, smile and give me a thumbs up…”Don’t worry daughter, I’ve got this.” 

So the next time you are robbed of peace because of the anxiety pounding on your front door, I hope you will remember not to be anxious about ANYTHING but in EVERY situation, cry out to God, because He’s got this!