Today, I’m going to encourage you to worry. That’s right. I know you’re going to do it anyway, so I’m not going for the old cliche, “Don’t worry!” In fact, my suggestion is that we set a timer, and just give in to whatever it is we’d like to put on the worry agenda. Write it down. Be specific. Throw caution to the wind and put every little worrisome thing out there. Once you’ve done that, you get one minute. That’s it! You get one minute to worry as much as you can possibly worry and then you’re done. What? You’ve got more to worry about than that? Well, not today!
So, the gift you are giving yourself is that you now exist in a worry-free zone! That list you made to worry about just became your prayer list. You’re going to spend 59 minutes in prayer. You can choose how many of those minutes to string together, but the idea here is to pray any time a worry comes to mind. You can do 59 one-minute prayers if it suits you best but pray, and then pray some more.
Perhaps it helps if I remind you of my acronym for pray, which is P.R.A.Y. P is about taking a moment to pause and to think about who it is you’re going to talk to when you pray. You’re going to speak to God, the Creator of the entire universe, the One who made the ground you walk on. You’re going to talk to Jesus, the King, the Lord of Lords, the One who loved you so much He went to the cross to save you, and you’re going to pray to the Holy Spirit, the One who reminds you that all is well with your soul Wow! You’re going to pray to the greatest force that ever existed. Think of that!
The R is to remember what God has done for you in the past. When you’re in the midst of anything that feels like a crisis, it can be hard to remember how God has stepped in and helped you before. When you refresh your memory of all that God has done, you feel more encouraged to pray again.
The A is simply to ask for whatever it is that is on your heart. When you are fully present, fully connected to your prayers, you know your heart is in it. God will hear the requests of your heart.
The Y is about being able to give up the answer you want and yield to the answer God has for you. It’s about you stepping aside and letting God be God. When you do, your open to all that He has for you and more able to praise His name.
Today, unshackle yourself from the weights of the world. Rest your worries on the shoulders of the only One who can carry them for you. You are not alone. You are not living in isolation. You are known and loved. God is with you now and will be with you wherever you go today. As He said, “You are mine!”
Martin Luther wrote, “Pray, and let God worry.”
Be strong because you are surrounded by an invisible means of support. Sending you joy and love today.