BLESSED ASSURANCE
Victory over worry
When we find ourselves worrying, our first positive action should be to get alone with God, pray and worship Him. Sing praises to Him for God inhabits the praises of His people. Worry pulls us in different directions; our hopes in another direction, our fears pull us in the opposite direction and we are pulled apart. Worry has definite physical consequences such as headaches, neck pains, ulcers and even backpains. Worry affects our thinking, our digestion and even our coordination. From the spiritual point of view, worry is wrong thinking (mind); wrong feeling (the heart) people and things; worry is the greatest thief of joy. To conquer worry and experience the secure mind, God has laid down three conditions. 1) Right praying. Prayer should carry the idea of adoration, devotion and worship. Adoration is seeing the greatness of the majesty of God. We must realize that He is big enough to solve our problems. 2) Supplication is an earnest sharing of our needs and problems. There is no place for half-hearted insincere prayer. "Who in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear," Hebrew 5:7. Supplication is a matter of spiritual intensity. St. Paul said, "Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ and through the love of the Holy Spirit, that you strive together with me in prayers to God for me." Romans 15:30. After adoration and supplication, comes appreciation, giving thanks to God. Ephesians 5:20, "Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Assuredly, the heavenly Father enjoys hearing His children saying, "Thank You". When Jesus healed ten lepers, only one came back to say thank you. Luke 17:11-19.
Right thinking says St. Paul in Philippians 4:8, "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy, mediate on these things." Peace involves the heart and mind. "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You." Isaiah 26:3. Wrong thinking leads to wrong feeling and before long the heart and mind are pulled apart. We must realize that thoughts are real and powerful. We must bring into captivity every thought to be obedience of Christ," II Corinthians 10:5, "Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ."
The Christian who will fill his heart and mind with God's word will have a "built-in radar" in detecting wrong thoughts. Right thinking is the result of daily meditation with the Word of God.
Right praying, right thinking and right living are the conditions for having the secure mind and victory over worry.