(interesting article :) )
Worry about Nothing Pray about Everything
The following passages are taken from Charles R Swindoll’s book “Laugh Again---Experience Outrageous Joy,” published in 1992.
The trouble with worry is that it doesn’t seem all that harmful. It is a little like the first few snorts of cocaine. A person may know down inside it is not good, but surely it can’t be as bad as some have made it out to be. Foolish thinking.
When it comes to worry, we blithely excuse it. For example, one evening we say to a friend, “Hey, don’t worry,” Our friend responds, “Well, maybe I shouldn’t, but you know me. I’m just the worrying type.” We answer back, “Yeah, well, I sure understand. I myself am a worrier. Can’t blame somebody for feeling a little concerned tonight.”
What if we changed that conversation to refer to drinking too much alcohol. Imagine this: “Hey, things will work out.” Our friend responds, “Well, maybe I shouldn’t, but you know me. I’m just the liquor-drinking type.” Answering back, we say, “Yeah, well, I sure understand. I myself drink too much. Can’t blame somebody for drinking a couple extras tonight.” Suddenly, worry takes on a new significance.
Analyzing the Problem
Of all the joy stealers that can plague our lives, none is more nagging, more agitating, or more prevalent than worry.
We get our English word worry from the German word wurgen, which means “to strangle, to choke.” Our Lord mentioned that very word picture when He addressed the subject on one occasion.
The sower sows the word. And these are the ones who are beside the road where the word is sown; and when they hear, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word which has been sown in them. And in a similar way these are the ones on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy, and they have no firm root in themselves, but are only temporary, then, when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they fall away. And others are the ones on whom seed was sown among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the word, and the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. (Mark 4:14—19 NASB)
In other words, when worry throttles our thinking, choking out the truth, we are unable to bear fruit. Along with becoming mentally harassed and emotionally strung out, we find ourselves spiritually strangled. Worry cuts off our motivation and lifeline of joy.
In spite of all these consequences, more people are addicted to worry than all other addictions combined. Are you one of them? If you are, you might as well put on hold all the things I have been saying in this book about being more joyful and carefree with an optimistic attitude. You will need to come to terms with your anxiety addiction before you find yourself freed up enough to laugh againUnderstanding God’s Therapy
Do you realize that God has a sure-cure solution to worry? Has anyone ever told you that if you perfect the process you will be able to live a worry-free existence? Yes, you read that correctly. And if you know me fairly well, you know that I seldom make statements anywhere near that dogmatic. But in this one I am confident. If you will follow God’s stated procedure, you will free yourself to laugh again.
First, let’s let the Scriptures speak for themselves:
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your forbearing spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, 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 comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:4—7)
Next, let’s get six words clearly fixed in our minds. These six words form the foundation of God’s therapeutic process for all worrywarts.
WORRY ABOUT NOTHING,
PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING
Say that over and over until you can say it without looking. Say the six words aloud. Close the book. Close your eyes. Picture the words in your mind. Spend a minute or more turning them over in your head. What qualifies as a worry? Anything that drains your tank of joy—--something you cannot change, something you are not responsible for, something you are unable to control, something (or someone) that frightens and torments you, agitates you, keeps you awake when you should be asleep. All of that now needs to be switched from your worry list to your prayer list. Give each worry--—one by one—--to God. Do that at this very moment. Tell the Lord you will no longer keep your anxiety to yourself.
Now then, once you buy into this all-important plan God has provided for those who wish to be free, you will begin to have time left in your day. . . lots of extra time and energy. Why? Because you used to spend that time worrying. Your addiction, like all addictions, held you captive. It took your time, it required your attention, it forced you to focus on stuff you had no business trying to deal with or solve.
So what now? How do you spend the time you used to waste worrying? Go back to the words from Paul to the Philippians. As I read them over, I find three key words emerging:
rejoice (v. 4)
relax (v.5)
rest (v. 7)
They look pretty easy, but for someone who has worried as long as you have, they are not. You haven’t done much of any of these three lately, have you?
To begin with, REJOICE! Worry about nothing . . . pray about everything, and REJOICE!
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!
(Phil 4:4)
Because we have repeated the term and several synonyms throughout the book so often, the whole idea could begin to lose its edge. Don’t let it. Rejoicing is clearly a scriptural command. To ignore it, I need to remind you, is disobedience. In place of worry, start spending time enjoying the release of your humor. Find the bright side, the sunny side of life. Deliberately look for things that are funny during your day. Loosen up and laugh freely. Laugh more often. Consciously stay aware of the importance of a cheerful countenance. Live lightheartedly! Stop reading only the grim sections of the newspaper. Watch less television and start reading more books that bring a smile instead of a frown. That’s exactly why you picked up this one! We put a cover on it that would attract your attention (I think my publisher did a bang-up job don’t you?), and as you thumbed through it you probably thought something like, I need to quit being so serious—--maybe this book will help. Don’t stop with this book. Choose others like it. Feed your mind with more uplifting “thought food.”
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