Worried

Do not worry about anything . . . (Philippians 4:6a, NRS)


Good Morning!

A little girl explained to me the challenges of first grade this fall. I could hear anxiety in her voice as she gave a complete list of possible problems. Yikes . . . I felt anxious listening to the top fifty worries. I could have responded with anxiety, adding to her worries by saying, “Yes . . . you are right. Life is going to change when you go to first grade. You will face many hurdles and challenges. In fact, there are more possible problems with each grade level. So face it little girl, life can be down-right difficult.”

No worries—I restrained from adding stress upon the little first-grader. I reminded her that some worries can be managed by preparing ahead; however, ultimately, worry needs to be replaced with peace. So, we prayed for Jehovah Shalom, the God of Peace, to guard her from being worried. After all, we have two choices: 1) Be worried. 2) Be at peace. These choices oppose one another. A conscious choice must be made to either be worried or to be at peace.

The Apostle Paul said,
“Do not worry about anything.” (NRS)
“Be anxious for nothing.” (NKJ)
“Never worry about anything.” (NJB)
“Don't fret or worry.” (Message)

Authentic peace comes from God--Shalom--can be defined as knowing the presence and goodness of God. Shalom guards the heart from worry and anxiety. The root cause of worry is fear. Throughout the ages, humanity has been a slave to fear. Without knowing the presence of God, fear rules our thoughts, words, attitudes, and actions. Peace is produced through commitment and conformity to the presence and power of God.

Shalom.
Be at peace.
Refuse to be worried.
Choose to manage life through the presence and goodness of God.
Consciously let go of your worries.
Seek to connect with Jehovah Shalom.
Experience shalom through knowing the activity of the Spirit.
Manage life with peace.
Slowly read today’s scripture.
Let the Word of God settle into your mind and heart.
Center your thoughts on Jehovah Shalom.
Be at peace.
Shalom.
Learning with you to be at peace,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2007 All Rights Reserved)