Is Worry on Your To-Do List?

Here’s the first thing to cross off your list today.

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. —Philippians 4:6-7

Do you make lists—to get things done? Especially on days when I have a number of things to knock out, I list my to-do’s.

You know what I’ve never written on a to-do list?

Worry.

Yeah. I’ve never had to remind myself to worry. And yet I still do it!

Why is that? There may be a number of reasons: something important coming up; lack of control over a situation; out of habit; you name it.

The truth is, worry never accomplished a thing in my life. It never does. It is always sideways motion—wasted energy.

No wonder Jesus told us not to worry about tomorrow. So, Paul gives us some wise instruction. Instead of worrying, pray (which is something I do put on my to-do list, as it doesn’t come to mind automatically). He tells us to pray about everything.

In the process, tell him what you need and thank him in advance for the outcome (which is the essence of faith—thanking Him for what you have not yet seen). This is where we experience the peace of God that goes beyond our ability to comprehend. This is the place of blessing, peace and rest.

So, what’s on your list today?

Bill Herried is lead pastor at CenterPoint Christian Fellowship in Tacoma, Washington. He has an undergraduate degree from the University of Washington in Seattle, and Master of Divinity from Corban University in Salem, Oregon. He is married to the most extraordinary woman on the planet. Together they have 3 adult children and 4 grandchildren and loves a good biryani. You can learn more about Bill on his blog, Your Daily Encouragement

Photo by Kalen Emsley on Unsplash