Worried Cows
The worried cow would have lived till now if she’d just saved her breath. But she feared her hay wouldn’t last all day, so she mooed herself to death.
Are you mooing yourself to death over the future? Are you worried about things over which you have no control?
Scripture has a lot to say about worry and its effect on the quality of our lives. Jesus urged us not to worry about what tomorrow holds, saying that each day had enough trouble of its own. Our Lord also reminded us of God’s provision for the flowers of the field and birds of the air, asking us, “How much more does God care about you?”
Not a single hour can be added to our lives through worry, and yet, we persist in what can only be described as faithless living.
Once again, I find myself describing an ongoing struggle in my own journey of faith. If you read yesterday’s devotional, you know I’m anxious about what the car manufacturer is going to do about the transmission which went out on our vehicle after 62,000 miles. I’m still waiting to hear.
But I can honestly say, I have come a LONG way when it comes to worry in my life, and I’d like to share with you how God has provided some special protection against my tendency to worry. The good news is, God can do the same for you.
Don’t worry about anything. Instead, pray about everything. And when you pray, pray with an attitude of gratitude, remembering God’s loving care for you. That’s my paraphrase of Philippians 4:6.
Kind of says it all, doesn’t it? Turn your worries into prayers. Remember how much you have to be thankful for. An amazing thing happens in our lives when we commit ourselves to this practice of prayer.
The Easy-to-Read Version of the Bible describes it like this - “And because you belong to Christ Jesus, God’s peace will stand guard over all your thoughts and feelings.” (Phil. 4:7)
There is an awesome picture painted in these words; a picture of sentries, or guards, marching around the entryways of our hearts and minds, keeping the enemies of worry and anxiety at bay.
That’s the power of intentional, consistent, heartfelt prayer in your life and mine. It’s the promise of God’s Word, and I am a witness to its ability to set us free from the overwhelming burden of worry that so often crushes us emotionally and spiritually.
So, stop mooing and start praying.
In Christ,
Dan