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What to Do When You’re Worried

"Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 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." (Philippians 4:6–7)

Martin Luther once wrote in a letter to his wife, “Pray, and let God worry.”

God isn’t going to worry, of course. But we still need to pray, because we worry about a lot of things. And sometimes we even will elevate worry as a virtue, saying things like, “I worry because I care.”

But is worry actually a virtue? I don’t think so. In fact, I think worry can be a sin. I’m not saying that all worry is a sin, but I am saying that it can be. And I would readily admit that worry is a sin I have committed.

I’ve unnecessarily worried about things. I’ve fretted and have been filled with anxiety. So why is it potentially a sin? Because it’s a lack of trust in God. When we worry, we’re essentially saying, “God isn’t in control. He isn’t taking care of me in this situation. I’m not trusting in the providence of God.”

But if you are a real Christian and believe the Bible, then you will know that God is in control of all circumstances that surround your life, and there are no so-called accidents in the life of a believer.

That is an important thing to remember, because worry doesn’t empty tomorrow of its sorrows; it empties today of its strength.

Philippians 4:6 tells us, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.”

Turn your worries into prayers. The next time you are gripped by fear and worry, turn it into a prayer like this one: “Lord, I don’t know what to do, but I trust You. You are in control, and I commit this to You right now.” Look to the Lord, and let Him give you His peace.