Many years ago, when I was in my early 20's, I was working at Six Flags Over Georgia. We had an unusually tough manager who was almost impossible to please. For some reason, he got his thrills in walking around the park and calling others on his 2-way radio and just launching a verbal attack against them, even for the smallest of small things.

I soon found myself rushing to the bathroom with an upset stomach due to the stress he invoked in me. Of course, he was not forcing me to worry about being called out in front of my friends, I was choosing to have this response. Constantly worrying about receiving these over-the-radio calls was wrecking my Saturday mornings!

Unfortunately, this magnified something that I had dealt with my entire life. I was predisposed to anxiety attacks, because this was something I had been dealing with since childhood. But in this particular situation with my manager, it was downright worry. Fear.

There is a difference between worry and anxiety. Anxiety, as you think about when referring to an anxiety attack, is not what I am writing about in this post. Instead, I am talking about choosing to focus on something and unnecessarily allowing it to ruminate in your mind to the point that it becomes sinful. How do I know it is sinful? Consider Paul's words here: "Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7).

One of the things I have noticed about putting this verse into practice is that it is easier to read than it is to do. Paul's words were clear, though. Apparently if it is a command, (and it is), then it is possible to obey. His initial challenge is to take the things that you fret about and to pray about them instead. Again, it is easier said than done.

I find that when I am able to catch something that is causing me worry and to think through it before I choose to worry about it, then I am able to pray about it. And I think the key here is that he says to ask God to help you in the situation, or to help the situation itself.

Notice Paul writes in verse 6 that you need to make your requests be made known to God. I think specificity is "huge," as Donald Trump would say (love him or hate him). When it comes to praying for your job that causes you worry, you need to get specific. What about it is causing worry. Is it failure? Is it missing a deadline? Is it making some irreversible mistake? Whatever it is, you need to name it.

I just got a new job in retail. Wow. Just learning how to operate the Point of Sale, which is also a full computer, is enough to drive someone insane. So although this is not something that I am worrying about, if it was I would just ask God to help me remember which function key to press when, and in what order of things to key things in, in order to open or close the register. This whole cash register stuff has gotten so complicated. What happened to the days of punching in $6.99 and being done with it??

As you are praying about things that worry you, you are to do so with thanksgiving. Thankfulness is one of those things that kinda cancels out worry. For instance, one thing that I worry a lot about is the safety of my children. Are they going to have a car wreck, or get sick, or hurt, etc. I have found that if I ask God for their protection in each area I am concerned with, and then express thanks, then the issue gets immediately smaller. And I think the giving of thanks is as important to the process as the request.

Thanksgiving brings you favor from God. I think it makes it possible for you to consider how God has blessed you and is blessing you and thereby giving you hope and faith that He is going to bless you again. I do not think that expressing thanks is like waving a magic wand over your prayers, assuring that God is then obligated to hear and answer in the way you would desire. But it is a principle of Scripture to express thanks.

Then the Scriptures teach that if you ask God for help as you give thanks, then you will experience the peace of God which surpasses all comprehension. Wow!! That's the kind of peace I want. And I do experience such peace when dealing with something correctly. I find that God makes good on His promise here. A peace that is not explainable rushes over me and the storm calms down.

But isn't it like this with all things when you are a Christ-follower? God gives His peace and joy. "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you" (John 14:7).

So what would you rather have? Worry or peace? Start asking yourself this question whenever dark clouds of worry loom over you. There is an alternative to worry. Philippians 4:6-7 tells us so. Choose the peace that surpasses all comprehension starting today and do not allow the devil to gain a foothold in your life as a result of worry. God bless!

Worried?

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