God is Not Worried

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Welcome to those of you who read my Proverbs 31 devotion God is Not Worried. {Click here to read it if you haven’t yet}

As promised in the devotion, here are five ways to turn your greatest worries into your deepest prayers:

~ย Make a list.ย Grab two pieces of notebook paper and on one make a list of the things about which you are most worried. Is it money? A loved one? The future? Your health? Number them one by one. Then, make a second list on the other sheet of paper with corresponding numbers. For each number, write out a one or two sentence prayer about the corresponding worry from list number one. Then, take a bright red pen and make a big X through the first list. Write across the top “I’ve got it covered. Love, God”. Post the list on your bathroom mirror. Tuck the other one in your Bible so you can pull it out each day to pray through the list.

~ย Question yourself.ย Ask yourself this, “If my greatest fear came actually did come true, would God still be enough?” The answer ALWAYS is yes! For encouragement, ponder this quote by one of my favorite authors:

โ€œOur vision is so limited we can hardly imagine a love that does not show itself in protection from sufferingโ€ฆ. The love of God did not protect His own Sonโ€ฆ. He will not necessarily protect us โ€“ not from anything it takes to make us like His Son. A lot of hammering and chiseling and purifying by fire will have to go into the process.โ€ย ~ Elisabeth Elliot

~ย Set an alarm.ย Utilize your phone’s alarm, or a kitchen timer or regular alarm clock, to remind you a few times a day to pause and pray about the issue you are most concerned about. Stop and whisper a sincere prayer. Then, go back about your day knowing you have left the issue in God’s hands.

~ Lend a helping hand. Sometimes we are able to get our eyes off of our own worries by helping out someone in need. Can you sign up to visit shut ins or those in the hospital from your church? Does a local battered women’s shelter need help serving a meal or sorting free clothes for the residents? Does an elderly person in your neighborhood need help around the house or transportation the the doctor’s or grocery store? Helping someone in need can refocus our nervous energy as we spend time with others who need assistance.

~Memorize. Recite. Believe. Repeat.ย Chose one of the verses below to commit to memory. Have a friend or family member be your accountability partner. Practice reciting the verse to them once a week or so until you can do it by heart. Then, believe what the verse says!!

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.ย (1 Peter 5:7) ย 

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.ย (Philippians 4:6-7)ย 

Do not fret – it leads only to evil. (Psalm 37:8)ย 

Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? (Luke 12:25-26)ย 

An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up. (Proverbs 12:25)ย 

Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall. (Psalm 55:22)ย 

When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul. (Psalm 94:19)ย 

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. ย (Psalm 139:23-24)ย 

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food and the body more than clothes. (Luke 12:22-23)ย 

And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. (Matthew 6:28-29)ย 

So do not worry, saying “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or ‘What shall we wear?” For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. (Matthew 6:31-32)ย 

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:34)

P31devobook_1024x1024Leave us a comment telling us your greatest worry right now so we can pray for you over the weekend.

Two people who comment will be chosen to receive a copy of our new Proverbs 31 Devotional: Encouragement for Today. It will help you turn your worries into prayers.

Winners announce Monday. Have a worry-free weekend!

115 Comments

  1. Karen, I have struggled tremendously about a possible situation. My mind was so consumed about the what if. I went to church today and for awhile could not enjoy the service for worrying. I just want to say that after reading your blog, I am going to sleep in peace tonight. One prayer request I do have is that God will bless me with more commitment. I commit to things and never follow through. May The Lord our God, richly bless you.

  2. Please pray for my 16 year old son and I. I am so overcome with fears about his near future life choices that I can barely function. If i dont worry about his choices I feel like a neglectful mother. He’s so angry and we can barely make it through a weekend without a major arguement. I’m so worn out by this. I feel defeated. Thank you so much for the momentary calm i’ve found in this devotion today.

  3. Thanks for caring & asking, My biggest concern is living alone-I’m divorced.. And not having my grown children live near. My 3rd is my health-I have some disabilities. And I’m unemployed. As you can see, I have lots on my mind these days. I would very much appreciate prayer.

  4. I am a self professed worrywart. I know I have no need to worry but I can’t seem to let go of circumstances out of my control. For some reason I feel responsible or that I should be able to change circumstances. Thank you for your devotional and for reminding me that “God does no worry”. This reminder helps me by shining a brighter light on the week ahead and the things that concern me and my family.

  5. I worry for my husband who struggles daily with anxiety and depression. I am going to turn this into a family lesson for tomorrow night. Thank you for the inspiration.

  6. Thank you so much for this devotional. As I read through many of the comments, I see so many hurting hearts who need to reach out to our Lord! I am one of those! My biggest worry is doing it alone, and that it won’t change. My husband died over six years ago, and it’s felt like a constant battle since. The Lord has been ever faithful throughout, yet standing in the midst of another trial, I worry about handling things I feel unequipped to handle.

  7. My husband and I just embarked on a new business venture and taken over his families business…we both our still working fulltime jobs plus this…biggest worries are money and being able to do all…I need constant reminders to have faith of a mustard seed! All things will work for those who love God who are called according to his purpose.

  8. God always knows what I need to hear…I am most worried about my newlywed daughter who has cystic fibrosis. As a result of a procedure last week, she suffered a minor stroke and has double vision in one eye and balance issues. She is going to miss at least 3 weeks of college and is worried if she will return to normal. She has seen her Dad struggle the last 3 1/2 years from a stroke and knows firsthand that things do not always get better…..

  9. Worried about husbands health . Dont want to be shaken, want to trust and actually be the strong faith- filled girl that I thought I was. I know He holds everything in His hand .

  10. Church finances is my big worry. My husband has been the pastor for a year now so the debt came along. Tithing has been low. So our staff has missed a week of pay just to pay the church mortgage. Each week I wonder if the tithe will be good enough for us to get paid. Big burden. Need something to stop the bleeding.

  11. Thank you to all the writers of the Proverbs 31 Ministry’s daily devotions. They have kept me going each day for the last few years and I base my own daily prayers on what I read. Yours really hit home for me because I’ve had so many fears all of my life. I lost my first born son in a car accident in 1976 at the age of 15 months. Since his death I’ve had three more children and have worried ever since that I would lose another. I found our Christ Jesus about eight years ago and have been giving Him all of my worries and praying for us all. So you can imagine how I felt when I lost my twenty year old daughter almost a year ago to a heroin overdose. I prayed diligently for her and did whatever I could to help her. I couldn’t believe I had lost another child and I wanted to be mad but I couldn’t because I knew she was at peace. I know God has a lesson and a plan for me; I struggle and fear I cannot hear Him speak to me. I know I must be patient and am still grieving, but I do feel lost and alone so much of the time, especially since my oldest daughter lives in Texas and my youngest son is gone at college. I will continue to give Him the glory because I know that his son Jesus, suffered and died for us, and any suffering we do in this life will never compare. Thank you for any prayers I may receive from you.

  12. Wonderful devotion Karen and I’m praying for your MIL. My anxiety is for my grandchildren, both saved and unsaved. First, prayers for salvation, then protection from the evils and temptations they face every day. The influence of the world, even in some churches, is scary. Thanks for your prayers.

  13. Worrying about my son who had surgery this week, and his road to recovery. I trust that God will keep him in his tender-loving care, but all moms worry, right? Worried about my mom’s health. She needs surgery next month. Praying that my anxieties fly away…thank you for the verses that you’ve posted. They are perfect reminders of our God who is in control!

  14. Thank you for this message, Karen! I so needed to hear it as I worry over pretty much everything and then that leads to feelings of guilt for not trusting God to take care of it all. I am going to try turning my fears into prayers and leaving them with God because when I don’t they consume me. Also going to mediate on the verses that you provided…thank you. Praying for all of those who posted their fears and concerns here.
    May God Bless everyone with His peace and comfort.

  15. This message couldn’t have come at a better time. My husband and I find ourselves struggling financially. Doors that were said to be opening to help change these worries have been shut door. We continue to have faith, and most importantly we know that God is in control and that our worries matter to HIM. Thank you!

  16. Karen, thank you for your P31 devotion and this post. My biggest fear right now is that my finances are troubling. I live pretty much week to week, but am able to pay my bills and continue to donate to charity and my church. However, last week a very close friend got into some trouble and I gave them the money they needed. I know that for 55 years, the Lord has provided me with all that I need and more, but I have become anxious. Praying that God strengthen my resolve to trust in Him for all things…great and small! God bless you! Praying also for your mother-in-law for a blessed recovery!

  17. I am worried right now about buying the house we are in. It seems like at every turn something happens. I want to believe that God wants us in this house but I am not so sure. Please pray that God will show us what we are to do and if it is not in his plan to give me grace to accept what is best. Help me to stand on Jeremiah 29:11.

  18. What a wonderful encouraging devotional. I have always struggled with worry. The thing I worry most about is my son. He struggles with depression. Please pray for him. Thank you!

  19. Reading the posts, I see I share the many worries of others… kids, health, job, finances, housing, and so on. It appears as though worry is normal but my heart tells me the enemy wants us to think and believe this trait is normal. The trick of the enemy is to capture our every thought. We can say but we must truly believe God has not called us out of darkness and into his marvelous light to fear or worry. I worry and fear all the time but I am praying and praising my way through. My pray each of us may be healed and move away from the spirit of fear step into the spirit of love and sound mind. May we all be encouraged daily and His peace joy and love be with us always. Blessings to all.

  20. Thank you so much for this. My fears have so often kept me awake at night. And, of course, that lack of sleep leads to more anxiety. I so appreciate these ways to help combat the fear.

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