Every person will surely experience worry. Especially amid the pandemic global situation like the present, so many changes have caused uncertainty. In the early days of the pandemic, I was not yet too worried about my life. My small business was not heavily affected. My income kept coming in; only my turnover decreased a little.
While friends began getting busy selling online because they had lost their jobs or had their salaries cut, I still did not need to do that. The economic impact of the pandemic had not yet been too deeply felt by me.
As we entered the middle of 2020, seeing conditions that still had not improved, worry began to settle in my heart. Would my small business be able to survive? Would all expenses and operating costs, as well as daily living costs, be covered? What if I lost my business? A whole series of worries began to trouble my mind.
A life filled with worry is not easy. Worry makes my mind cloudy and makes it hard to enjoy life. Not wanting to be defeated by worry, I searched God's Word for answers. Let us look together at what the Word of God says about worry.
What Is the Root of Your Worry?
Therefore do not worry and say: What shall we eat? What shall we drink? What shall we wear? All these things are what the nations who do not know God seek. But your Father in heaven knows that you need them all. - Matthew 6:31-32
Worry is a matter of the heart. In Matthew 6:25-34, Jesus addresses the issue of worry plainly. "Is not life more important than food and the body more important than clothing?" Jesus asks us to look at the birds of the air and reflect, "Who among you by worrying can add even a cubit to his span of life?"
Worry is rooted in our distrust of God. Trust that God sustains our lives, and trust that God knows what we need.
In prayer, I often reflect on the condition of my life lately. Why had worry not appeared in the early days of the pandemic? At that time, even though my income dropped sharply, all my needs, expenses, and payments were still well covered. And it turns out that with the situation growing even worse now, all my needs, expenses, and payments are still being covered too!
Right then I realized that actually God still provides in the midst of difficult circumstances like these! God knows what you and I need!
Jesus says that people who do not know God are filled with worry about what they will eat, drink, and wear. When we are filled with worry, believe that God knows what we need! Let us give thanks because we have a God who cares and always provides!
4 Ways to Face Worry
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything make your requests known to God in prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. - Philippians 4:6
This verse is a command. A command for you and me not to worry about ANYTHING at all. That means everything in our lives, whether small or great. So, what should we do when worry comes? Let us reflect on it one by one.
1. Pray
The Bible teaches us to bring everything in prayer. What is the first thing we do when worry strikes? Do we talk to other people? Do we ask pastors and spiritual mentorsfor advice? Do we spend time thinking and looking for a way out?
Try kneeling and praying before doing all those things above. God allows us to bring every one of our worries in prayer, no matter how small. Because not one thing escapes the attention of God the Father.
Remember, God knows everything we need!
2. Make Supplication
Besides praying, the Bible also asks us to make our desires known in supplication. Prayer accompanied by supplication is sincere prayer that rises from the deepest part of the heart. We plead when we are pressed hard. Supplication shows that we are fully dependent.
When our prayers are not yet accompanied by supplication, let us examine ourselves together. Perhaps there is still a way we think can help our situation. Perhaps there is still a safety net we feel we can still use in an emergency.
God invites and challenges us to lift our supplications to Him. God longs to see our humility He longs for us to depend on Him. He longs to hear our supplications expressed in our prayers. So, do not hesitate to present our supplications to Him, great and small. Let us plead in prayer!
3. Offer Thanksgiving
When we are in difficulty and worry, perhaps one of the hard things to do is to feel thankful. Gratitude does not come naturally in difficultsituations. That is why God reminds us through His Word!
Thanksgiving guards our hearts from worry, bitterness, and unbelief. Thanksgiving also helps us see more clearly the works God has already done in our lives. Let us count our blessings and pray with thanksgiving
4. Stay Encouraged and Do Our Part
A person's spirit can endure suffering, but who can restore a broken spirit? – Proverbs 18:14
It turns out that we can remain encouraged even in suffering! In these pandemic times, many people have lost heart. I experienced that too. When the heart is filled with worry and we feel powerless, it is very easy to become discouraged.
There was even a time when I began comparing my life with people who do not know God. Why does their life seem more blessed than mine? The struggle of earning a living felt like a heavy burden on my shoulders.
At moments like these, God's Word strengthened my heart. God never said that His people would not experience the burden of suffering. On the contrary, He said that it is our spirit that will help us endure suffering.
This Word enables me to rise, keep fighting, and do my part as well as possible. The rest? I leave it in God's hands.
Perhaps this is not easy, but let us decide to trust His Word. Whatever our circumstances are right now, let us keep persevering and stay encouraged in doing our part.
Lazy hands make one poor, but diligent hands bring wealth. - Proverbs 10:4
The Peace God Promises
The peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:7
When life is going well, it may not be hard to feel at peace. But what God promises goes far beyond that. God promises us peace in the midst of life's difficulties and troubles!
Not only that, He also promises to guard our hearts and minds in Jesus! What a beautiful promise for facing our worries!
Therefore, let us release all the worries of life. Let us surrender them in prayer, supplication, and thanksgiving Let us keep doing our part with courage as well as possible.
Place all our worries into God's hands, and we will receive peace that surpasses all understanding. Let us stay encouraged and not let our faith!
- Related Articles:
-About the Author
RELATED ARTICLES
New Life, New Beginning
Everything new is usually appealing, including a new life. That is, when we leave the old behind and step into an experience that is truly new. Speaking of a new life, there is…
Read More
Christmas Day, Time to Reflect on These 3 Things
When I was little, Christmas Day was a special day. Besides receiving many gifts from Sunday school, I was also treated to many attractions such as dramas, Christmas songs...
Read More
3 Heart Attitudes from the Song Everlasting Father
For You are my Father, the everlasting Father. I am sure many of us are familiar with this song, Everlasting Father. Its lyrics lead us to reflect more deeply on God the Father and what He does in this life...
Read More