“The Ministry of Worry” – By Nate Carter

“Be anxious for nothing.” Philippians 4:6, NKJV

Some of us have been trained to worry by parents who weren’t there when we needed them. Others were trained by religious systems that had no power, so they said, “God doesn’t do that anymore:’ And some were told that once God saved us the rest was up to us. So we work hard and worry a lot.

The hardest people to deal with are those who feel called to the ministry of worrying. Malcolm Smith says, “I once had an old aunt who showed up every Christmas, and always seemed to know when we were in trouble. Her stock phrase was, “Well, I can’t really help, but I’ll worry for you:’ Worry has become such a way of life for some of us that we worry if we’re not worried about something.

Today, I came across a wonderful translation of Philippians 4:6 in THE MESSAGE—it may be just what you need:

Instead of worrying, pray! Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, Jetting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

Paul’s not saying, “Don’t look at the problem;’ he’s saying, “Let Christ displace worry at the center of your life.” It’s the only way to live