Why Worry, When We Can Pray?"

Overview

Why Worry, When We Can Pray?

"Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God" Philippians 4:6. Paul's command is sweeping: anything leaves no room for exceptions or caveats. We tend to compartmentalize, trusting God with most things while reserving a few worries for ourselves—our job, our health, our children, our finances. But Scripture allows no such carve-outs. Worry is a reactive way of living that gives the world dominion over our hearts; God calls us instead to bring everything to Him.

This is not the same as "don't worry, be happy." God does not promise circumstantial happiness, nor does He guarantee a life free of suffering. Paul himself wrote these words as one who had been beaten, stoned, and imprisoned, and he reminded the Philippians that they had been "graciously granted… not only of believing in Christ, but of suffering for him as well" Philippians 1:29. He counted every loss as gain "because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord" Philippians 3:8. Christians still carry real concerns—work, family, daily provision—but we are not to be ruled by a spirit of dread over circumstances we cannot control.

The remedy is prayer with supplication and thanksgiving. Prayer is any turning of the heart toward God; supplication is asking Him for what we need. Thanksgiving is the part most easily forgotten, especially in seasons of fear or upheaval. We may readily ask God to halt a crisis, but do we thank Him for the ways He continues to provide, sustain, and gather His people in the middle of it? And when words fail us in grief or weakness, the Spirit Himself "intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words" Romans 8:26-27. There is no need to shrink our requests with a timid "just"—the God who holds all things together in Christ can handle everything we bring.

The promise that follows is what makes this command livable: "the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" Philippians 4:7. We are not promised easy circumstances, but we are promised to be heard, to be interceded for according to God's will, and to be guarded in Christ. The heart is never empty—if it is not full of God, it will fill with worldly care. So fill it with God. Why worry, when we can pray?

Transcript

I know Pastor Eible has already read this text, but I want to read this verse. 0s

It's just one verse, one more time. 5s

We're Paul wrote, do not worry about anything. 8s

But in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made 11s

known to God. 17s

Do not worry about anything. 19s

Every time I read those words, I get that Bobby McFerran song stuck in my head, don't 23s

worry, be happy. 29s

I wonder, what God is talking about here, don't worry, be happy. 32s

He certainly says do not worry, but he's not saying be happy because as much as God loves 38s

us and cares for us and is concerned about us in every manner, every respect, every way are 45s

happiness, our circumstantial happiness is not God's greatest concern for you or I. 55s

And yet we want that to be the greatest concern, not only of God's but of ourselves and 65s

of the people around us, but as Christians we know and we've heard it and we've said it before 72s

that we are not guarded against a bad day. 78s

We are not going to have suffering. 83s

We are not going to have perfection every single day because we are Christians now. 87s

We do have perfection in Christ Jesus, but our worldly lives we will still experience suffering. 93s

Think of Paul who's writing this under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. 100s

He's suffered for the very sake of the gospel and he's writing, do not worry about anything. 104s

This is Paul who had been beaten, taken out to be stone, run out of town after town after 111s

town. 119s

He had been thrown in jail and tortured and yet he says do not worry about anything. 119s

In this very same letter that he wrote to the church at Philippi, he wrote, for he has graciously 130s

granted you the privilege, not only of believing in Christ, but of suffering for him as well. 136s

Since you are having the same struggle that you saw I had and now here that I still have. 143s

Or later in the letter he wrote, yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard 150s

as loss because of Christ. 155s

More than that I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing 157s

Christ Jesus my Lord for his sake I have suffered the loss of all things. 163s

Being a Christian does not mean that we will not suffer or have trials and temptations 172s

in this life and suffering oftentimes brings with it stress, anxiety and worry. 179s

We get wrapped up in the troubles that we have. 189s

Bobby McFerran said don't worry be happy but that is not what the Lord has for you and for 195s

I. 203s

He says do not worry about anything. 204s

Don't be troubled by anything. 211s

Now if you are like me you tend to compartmentalize your life a little bit and you want 214s

to worry about certain things. 223s

You may worry about a bad hair day or you may worry about job security or you may worry 227s

about your health or your children or your spouse or your grandchildren or about being 233s

single you have worries that you kind of pick and choose what you want to talk to the Lord 239s

about and what you'd rather get to worry and trouble yourself with. 246s

But Paul by the Lord says do not worry about anything. 253s

There are absolutely no exceptions. 259s

We like to add our own caveats. 262s

I'm going to trust the Lord with everything except my job. 265s

I'm going to trust the Lord with everything except if I have food or not and how I will 272s

be provided for. 280s

I'm going to trust the Lord with everything except this really child. 282s

We like to pick out things that we want to worry about. 288s

But think about this. 295s

We're worrying that's a very reactive way of living, isn't it? 296s

Aren't we giving this world and the things of the world dominion over our very persons 301s

and our everyday existence? 308s

Because we are reacting to what is happening. 311s

We are reacting to circumstances when we worry and God says do not worry about anything. 316s

But there are some of us who wouldn't know how to live by not worrying. 326s

We actually get troubled at the thought of not being able to worry. 331s

But God's word has authority over us and God's word says do not worry about anything. 338s

It's all encompassing. 350s

There are no exceptions. 352s

There are no caveats. 354s

It's comprehensive. 356s

It's not the same as don't worry be happy. 358s

God isn't saying have no concerns about anything. 362s

We have no cares. 365s

Things will probably fall into place. 366s

No, we still have our work. 369s

That's a gift from God. 372s

We still have our families to concern ourselves with. 373s

Also a gift from God. 376s

We have to gather our food. 378s

Also a gift from God. 381s

But we shouldn't live with a spirit of spreading and a spirit of anxiety over how and when 384s

and who and the circumstances that surround us. 394s

Instead do not worry about anything but in everything by prayer and supplication let your 399s

request be made known to God take everything to God in prayer and supplication. 405s

Now you might wonder what's the difference between prayer and supplication and they are 414s

certainly very, very similar. 418s

But prayer is anytime that we turn to the Lord. 420s

Whether it is in worship, whether it is in seeking Him if it's thanks anytime we address 424s

God anytime that we are in the presence of God in our spirit, in our mind, in our heart, 431s

we are in prayer. 439s

Supplication is when we turn to the Lord in prayer asking and treating Him to help us to give 440s

to us. 452s

We're asking in need when we are offering supplications and just like the do not worry 453s

about anything, the anything is all encompassing. 461s

In this part, the everything take everything to the Lord is also all encompassing. 465s

We are always to take everything to the Lord. 475s

Whether we are filled with joy, we are filled with confusion, we are depressed, we are happy. 479s

It doesn't matter. 487s

We always are to turn to the Lord with everything in all circumstances and my favorite part 488s

about this is this extra caveat that is thrown in. 496s

That's not really a caveat, but these extra few words that are thrown in with thanks 501s

giving. 506s

So we are to not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with 509s

thanksgiving we are to let our requests be made known to God. 517s

How can we be thankful for everything in our lives? 523s

Now, since we're all experiencing the quarantine, the shelter in place and the pandemic that's sweeping 530s

the globe, we're going to use this as an example of how we work through this text. 537s

Okay, so and you can raise your hand at home, who here has worried about the virus? 545s

Who has worried that you will contract it or a loved one will contract it or who has worried 553s

that this will affect our jobs or who has worried this will affect our economy or the 560s

people around us or our city who has worried or had been troubled over this in any manner, 570s

raise your hand. 577s

I'm certainly raising mine high because I have been worried and troubled during this time. 578s

Who has worried about making sure they have enough toilet paper or food or other necessities? 587s

And now, who has taken those concerns to the Lord in prayer and in supplication, who has been praying for 594s

ceasing of this virus, who has been praying for those who have been affected in any manner by the virus? 608s

I think we can all raise our hands high because we all turn to the Lord in prayer and supplication 617s

when we consider the virus that the world faces at this time and the situation, the circumstance 625s

that we find ourselves in. 633s

But now, let's ask ourselves, who has gone to the Lord with prayer and supplication? 636s

With Thanksgiving, with thankfulness for this. 647s

I don't know that I can raise my hand so high on this one. 656s

Do not worry about anything. 663s

But in everything, by prayer and supplication, 668s

with Thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. 671s

I don't always go to the Lord with thankfulness when I find ourselves in a situation like this. 681s

I don't go to the Lord thanking him that we aren't in person worshiping together right at this very moment. 690s

But I do turn to the Lord and I think him that we are indeed worshiping together at this moment, 700s

that he has provided a way for us to continue to be connected for his word to continue to go forth. 712s

And in that, we can take our prayers and we can take these supplications to him with Thanksgiving. 722s

We are to take everything to the Lord. 734s

Have you ever been praying and said, God, I just asked blank the just prayers, 739s

where we just want this one little thing. If God could just manage to handle this one part of my life, 748s

I'd be so grateful. Think about this. We are approaching the Lord, the creator of all the 760s

universe, the creator who holds all things together in Christ Jesus, who has dominion and sovereignty 769s

over the earthworms, who has dominion and sovereignty over elephants, over the sky, 778s

over the seas, over you and I, over everything and we're just hoping he can help us a little bit. 784s

God can handle and can manage everything we never have to put that just in there because God knows 794s

before we ever ask, before we ever seek him, before we ever turn to him, God knows exactly 804s

what we will be praying, exactly what we need, and exactly what is in our heart. 813s

One of my favorite pieces of all scripture, I know, I say that a lot, but Scripture is so good, 819s

God's word is so good. One of my favorite pieces in scripture is Romans 8, verses 26 and 27, 825s

where Paul wrote, likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as we 834s

do not, but that very Spirit intercedes with size too deep for words, and God who searches the 841s

heart knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according 848s

to the will of God. The Spirit is praying with you and for you, we have God's own spirit, 854s

who knows what is in our hearts and who speaks for us on our behalf. There are so many times, 863s

especially in times of tragedy or great loss, where we just cannot find the words and how to 870s

turn to the Lord, but the Spirit with size and mones too great for words, and treats the Father 877s

on our behalf and inner seeds for all the saints to be in the will of God. Jesus did not 887s

send to the Father to leave the church high and dry. Jesus promised His disciples that He would send 898s

His Spirit, He would send the very Spirit who intercedes with the Father, who searches our heart 908s

and knows the heart of God, and that is who commutes with us and the Triune God in prayer. 916s

For that we can turn to the Lord, in prayer, and thank Him because He is always with us, and He is always 927s

guiding us and leading us to Himself. Jesus Christ died on the cross, so that we would have His Spirit. 937s

Jesus Christ died on the cross so that we could turn to the Father with everything, 950s

not worrying about anything, but always turning to the Father knowing that He will hear us. 960s

God has promised that He will hear our prayers. And if we know anything, we can know that we can 968s

trust God and what He says. If a man, this is from a theologian, if a man does not pray about 977s

everything, he will be worried about most things. If he does pray about everything, he will not be 985s

troubled beyond what is good for him about anything. So there are these alternatives, and we make 992s

up our minds, which of the two we're going to take. The heart is never empty. If not full of God, 998s

it will be full of the world, and of worldly care. Luther says somewhere that a man's heart is 1006s

like a couple of millstones. If you don't put something between them to grind, they will grind each other. 1013s

It is because God is not in our hearts that the two stones rub the surface off one another. So the 1020s

victorious antagonist of anxiety is trust, and the only way to turn nine care out of my heart, 1026s

and life is to usher God into it, and to keep him, resolutely in it. 1033s

Our heart is filled with God because we are baptized called children of the Lord's, and He has given 1042s

us his very own spirit, and it is Christ in us who lives. So do not worry about anything, but in 1052s

everything, by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. 1062s

And it's beautiful, the promise that we have of why we are turning to the Lord with everything, 1071s

and why we are not to worry about anything. In verse 7, it says, and the peace of God, 1078s

which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 1086s

When we turn to the Lord, we are guarded in our Savior. When we turn to the Lord, we are protected 1096s

in heart and in mind by Christ Jesus Himself. We won't be promised happiness when we turn to the 1106s

Lord. We won't be promised that all circumstances will be well when we turn to the Lord, 1117s

but we are promised that we will be heard. We are promised that the spirit will intercede, 1124s

and that we will be interceded for according to the will of God, and we are promised 1131s

that we will have the peace of God, which guards us in Christ Jesus surpassing all 1139s

understanding. So we could try to worry. We can try to be troubled by this world or the 1151s

things of this world, but we are not called to do that. And if we are not called to do that, 1162s

but we are called to turn to the Lord, why would we worry when we can pray? 1169s