Worry
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:6
Are you someone that worries a lot? Do you worry about tests, boys, your parents or other family members, your friends, what you wear, what college you will get into, or anything else? Does that worry impact you during the day in ways like distracting you from paying attention in class, causing you to feel awkward with your friends, or making it hard for you to go to sleep at night? Does it cause you to focus on the things that you cannot control?
I can relate to that for sure and remember being a teenager. I used to worry about my grades, my weekend plans, and my Homecoming date. I also worried about my grandmother’s health, if my parents had an argument, and my friends that were making bad decisions.
The verse above tells us not to worry about anything. From small things like clothes to big things like someone’s health or future decisions, we are commanded to come to God with our worries, formally giving them over to Him to handle and thanking Him, in advance, for following through for us.
That is a lot easier said than done, right? The verse tells us that in every situation, we need to let God handle it. That means we may have to pray to God to help us let things go, and we may have to pray that same prayer over and over again.
In those prayers, we also need to remember to thank God for meeting us where we are, knowing our struggles, and accepting us as we are every single time. What a relief to know that He cares about all of my worries! What a relief to know that He does not expect me to have this all figured out.
Take away: Lord, help me to give my worries over to you. Help me to remember that you can handle all of my worries and that you accept me even when I am unable to let go. Help me to put my trust in you instead of myself.