June 7, 2020
When I was a teenager, a very wise Christian woman at church, Jeannette May, shared something with me that has stuck with me ever since. I was struggling with some personal issues and I told her how I was praying about them, but I still felt anxious and afraid. I told her how these problems were constantly on my mind and that I could barely think of anything else. She said, “So you have laid these problems at the foot of the cross? You have given them to God to handle?” And I said, “Yes, I have, many times.” Mrs. May said, “I believe that you are laying your problems down. The problem is you keep picking them back up again. You are not LEAVING THEM THERE.” That realization changed my life. She was completely correct. I was sharing my problems with God (praying), but I was still worrying and obsessing over them afterward. The fact that I was having to pray about the same problems over and over again was proof that I was still trying to solve them myself. I believe that God is greater than any problem that I face. Fear, worry and anxiety are tools of the devil. He uses them to get between us and God. He doesn’t want us to have any peace. Picture this: You have just prayed to God about a problem or situation in your life. You have asked Him for help, guidance, patience and peace. You have laid your burden, a giant boulder, at Jesus’ feet. The boulder is now in tiny pieces, you say AMEN and turn and walk away. You feel lighter and happier. You feel confident that everything is going to work out because God is in control. This is when Satan will make his move. One tiny rock at a time, he will reload your backpack with your problems. Your worries will slowly begin to weigh you down again. There may even be new doubts and questions you haven’t thought of before. Does this sound familiar? It does to me. Now picture this: take off the backpack! Each time you feel it begin to press you down, just mentally slip it off. (say a prayer) Where will the devil put the rocks and pebbles if you’re not wearing the backpack? (Watch out, he will probably try to slip them in your pockets…) It is not easy to completely release our biggest fears and concerns to God, but it does get easier with practice. Likewise, if we are aware that Satan does not want us to feel happy and unburdened, it becomes easier to be aware of when he is trying to steal our peace and wreck our joy. So, what’s the answer? Pray constantly? Yes! Use prayer as your hammer to smash those boulders and then throw the rocks at Satan to send him running! Romans 8:38-39 (TLB) says: “For I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can’t, and life can’t. The angels won’t, and all the powers of hell itself cannot keep God’s love away. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, or where we are—high above the sky, or in the deepest ocean—nothing will ever be able to separate us from the love of God demonstrated by our Lord Jesus Christ when he died for us.” Philippians 4:6-7 (TLB) says: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs, and don’t forget to thank him for his answers. If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus.” Lay your burdens down! Smile and be joyful!
An inspiring music video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DquWxeycBIQ
When I was a teenager, a very wise Christian woman at church, Jeannette May, shared something with me that has stuck with me ever since. I was struggling with some personal issues and I told her how I was praying about them, but I still felt anxious and afraid. I told her how these problems were constantly on my mind and that I could barely think of anything else. She said, “So you have laid these problems at the foot of the cross? You have given them to God to handle?” And I said, “Yes, I have, many times.” Mrs. May said, “I believe that you are laying your problems down. The problem is you keep picking them back up again. You are not LEAVING THEM THERE.” That realization changed my life. She was completely correct. I was sharing my problems with God (praying), but I was still worrying and obsessing over them afterward. The fact that I was having to pray about the same problems over and over again was proof that I was still trying to solve them myself. I believe that God is greater than any problem that I face. Fear, worry and anxiety are tools of the devil. He uses them to get between us and God. He doesn’t want us to have any peace. Picture this: You have just prayed to God about a problem or situation in your life. You have asked Him for help, guidance, patience and peace. You have laid your burden, a giant boulder, at Jesus’ feet. The boulder is now in tiny pieces, you say AMEN and turn and walk away. You feel lighter and happier. You feel confident that everything is going to work out because God is in control. This is when Satan will make his move. One tiny rock at a time, he will reload your backpack with your problems. Your worries will slowly begin to weigh you down again. There may even be new doubts and questions you haven’t thought of before. Does this sound familiar? It does to me. Now picture this: take off the backpack! Each time you feel it begin to press you down, just mentally slip it off. (say a prayer) Where will the devil put the rocks and pebbles if you’re not wearing the backpack? (Watch out, he will probably try to slip them in your pockets…) It is not easy to completely release our biggest fears and concerns to God, but it does get easier with practice. Likewise, if we are aware that Satan does not want us to feel happy and unburdened, it becomes easier to be aware of when he is trying to steal our peace and wreck our joy. So, what’s the answer? Pray constantly? Yes! Use prayer as your hammer to smash those boulders and then throw the rocks at Satan to send him running! Romans 8:38-39 (TLB) says: “For I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can’t, and life can’t. The angels won’t, and all the powers of hell itself cannot keep God’s love away. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, or where we are—high above the sky, or in the deepest ocean—nothing will ever be able to separate us from the love of God demonstrated by our Lord Jesus Christ when he died for us.” Philippians 4:6-7 (TLB) says: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs, and don’t forget to thank him for his answers. If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus.” Lay your burdens down! Smile and be joyful!
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