Learning to be Content without WORRYING

WORRY...Are you a worrier? Worried about being late, getting sick, having enough money, the children, my job, the house, bills, what somone may think, future, past, relationships, regrets... Worry can be like a poison, it infects your whole body, mind & spirit.

You may remember the old time chorus "Why worry when you can pray, trust Jesus, He'll be your stay. Don't be a doubting Thomas, trust fully on His promise. Why worry, worry, worry, worry, when you can pray." We will be learning in this study that we have resources from God to help us with the "sin" of worry. A few of the resources God has made available to use are: 1) Providence of God 2) Power of God 3) Promises of God. And as the song says so well, "Why worry, when we can pray".

So far in our study on the "Secrets of Contentment" we have learned we must have FAITH IN GOD to live a contented life; that contentment doesn't just happen, but we must learn to choose to live a life of contentment; we can also learn to be content in whatever season of life we find ourselves in, because life doesn't stay the same, it is ever changing; and we need to learn to be content in our relationships with others, which can be a challenge, but again is a choice.

Contentment is built on a relationship with Christ.

This foundation never changes.

Worry will control your whole life, if you don't learn to let God handle your concerns. The Scripture memory verse for the week is very clear what God teaches about worry. I'll include it again here from the New Living Translation "So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today." Matthew 6:34. We have all heard this verse over and over, but have we applied it to our everyday life? James 1:8 says we are not to be "double-minded". Matthew 6:27 says that worry will not add a single inch to your height or for that matter a single minute to your day. Does worry every really accomplish anything good? It really only brings "trouble", and who needs any more of that? Why worry when you can pray?

Worry is Ridiculous

• It is unreasonable
• It is unecessary
• It is unwise
• It is unhealthy
• It is unproductive
• It is a SIN

We cannot see into the future or change the future, so why worry about it? Our God is sovereign and He knows all, has all power, He cares about me, His love it eternal. God gives strength, power, renewal, safety, healing. It is ridiciulous to worry! Why worry when you can pray?

The solution to worry is found in God's Word. Remember our memory verse Matthew 6:34. There is no problem with making plans for tomorrow or anytime in the future. But be ready to change those plans as the day arrives, because God's plan for me today may be different than what I planned. His ways are better than mine! Philippians 4:19 is a promise we all have quoted many times "My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory." You know God will be there tomorrow, just as He is today. Why worry? Look up the following verses: Matthew 10:29-31, I Peter 5:7, Psalm 42:5,11, Philippians 3:13,14, James 4:17 .

Isaiah 40: 27-31 This familar passage will illumine your mind on this topic if you will take a few minutes and study it. Isaiah is asking the Israelites some very pointed question:

How can you say the Lord does not see your troubles? How can you say God refuses to hear your case? Have you never heard or understood? Don't you know that the Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth? Don't you know He never grows faint or weary? No one can measure the depths of His understanding.

He gives power to those who are tired and worn out; He offers strength to the weak. Even the youth will become exhausted, and young men will give up. But those who wait on the Lord will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

Can this apply to us today? Do we question our Lord the same way when we worry? Worry distorts our thinking, disrupts our work, disquiets our soul, disturbs our body, disfigures our face, destroys our poise, depresses our friends, demoralizes our life, defeats our faith, and debilitates our energy. Remember who the Lord is and trust Him. God will strengthen you and you will not grow weary and you won't need to worry over everything, small or large. Are you tired of being tired? We don't have to be tired or weary, we need to cast our burdens on the Lord and you will find new strength as we trust in Him. Why worry when you can pray?

Take a moment and make a list of your physical, financial and spiritual needs. Then under each write down what you're worried about and why you are worried. After making your list, stop and consider how concerned do you think God is about these needs? He cares for the little sparrows, are we not His children. He knows all things about each one of us. He loves us so much He came to earth and died so we would have eternal life. I know I can trust Him with every worry I have or will ever have.

Consider Philippians 4:4-9. These verse we can claim to help us step closer to a contented life, by overcoming worry. Rejoice, be forbearing and gentle, pray and be thankful, and receive PEACE from God which will guard your heart and mind. Fix your thoughts on what is true, honorable, right, admirable, excellent. REJOICE! Why worry when you can pray?

A Roman philosopher summed up our greatest problem when he said "Our life is what our thoughts make it. If we think happy thoughts, we will be happy. If we think miserable thoughts, we will be miserable." God's word says that where our treaure is there will our heart be. Why worry when you can pray?

Let's all commit to worrying less and trusting God more.

The author of our study has some helpful hints to aid us in breaking the worry habit:

• Put a rubber band around your wrist and everytime you start worry, snap yourself and say, "Am I trusting God?"
• Instead of worrying, start working on your problem. Write it down and then ask what does God want me to do aobut this problem.
• Turn every care into a prayer. What have you been worrying about? Start praying about instead!

Contentment comes from our confident trust in God

and our relationship with Him not from circumstances or people!

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