Why worry when you can pray?

My Granny had a card on her dresser that said, "Why worry when you can pray?" I safeguarded it when she passed away, as a hopeful reminder of this simple thought and to cherish her positive outlook.

Full disclosure though...I struggle with this. A LOT. My mind turns one simple thought into a hodge podge event of CSI, Final Destination, and worst case scenarios in a matter of minutes. If I don't catch it, it spirals out of control real fast.

As anxiety crippled me in the middle of the night one night, I realized I couldn't hold on to these thoughts, worries, fears. I had to let them go. There was no way I could control anything that happened, and I had learned well enough to give these worries to God. I know it sounds so easy, but is so hard to do.

As I sat there, on the floor by the bed, all the messages I had seen recently came to me. Someone posting a preacher talking about prayer. Watching the movie, War Room. A friend talking about prayer. I realized God was trying to tell me...Just pray. Bring it to me. Let me carry your load. And let me watch over what you care about.

On the bedroom floor, I got my notebook and wrote out every single thing that was plaguing me, in simples words or phrases. That night, it was about my kids. Anything that came to mind, I wrote down. Then I started to pray. Praying against all of those awful things that would creep into my mind. Things that could possibly happen (because just seeing news headlines makes you see the harsh reality of what does happen...). There was a release, a relief, and I was able to fall asleep afterward. From then on, I get out that list and pray every day over my kids. Trusting that God will watch over them as I have asked. That list has turned into many lists, including hopeful lists for my kids, praying over my husband, our lives and livelihood.

Each time I make a new list, I'm amazed by how it grows. How quickly my heart has more to pour out, more worry, more fear... but more to turn from worry to prayer. How much easier it is on my mind and my heart to continuously bring it to God than to agonize over it myself.

The most remarkable thing happens afterward. If you don't pay attention, you can miss it.

A shift. Noticing the little moments. Being able to smile. It will come. When I was going through complete darkness, it was noticing there were actual orange leaves on the trees, and how beautiful they were. I hadn't been able to see them. Lately, it's the shift in my relationship with my daughter. Not a huge change, but enough for me to close my eyes and just say, "Thank you."

I know it is very easy for me to just say, "don't worry, just pray." I know some of you are going through the hardest thing you will go through in life right now, and I'm telling you just to pray? Well, yes. But also, it doesn't take away our responsibility to do the hard things we must do. It just opens the door to allow God to help you. And sometimes, we continue to go through the hard things even though we're begging God to get us out of it. God doesn't make bad things happen, but He can use the situation for good. How could my situation possibly be for the good??? I know, it is hard to see in the moment. Write down your prayers. Write down what is happening. Over time, you'll see a shift. Maybe in someone's attitude. Maybe the grief will lessen. Maybe the anxiety will shift to a strange peace. You will grow, and you will change. God is molding us, little by little, ever so gently, to ultimately bring His glory. If you can get through this, how much more will it show what He is capable of?

Perhaps He uses these moments to show us just how much we can trust Him. He doesn't need to, but He does. Because that's how much He loves us.

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?"

Matthew 6: 25-27

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

1 Peter 5: 6-10