This morning, I awoke full of worry about the future, with Len having resigned from his job as editor of Guideposts. Len and I were in agreement in this step, and he is enthusiastic about going into book publishing, but I see so many obstacles ahead, especially when his salary stops coming.
Then the Lord directed me to the fourth chapter of Philippians particularly to verse 8. Whatever is worthy of reverence, is honorable and seemly, is just, is pure, is lovely and lovable, is kind and winsome and gracious; if there is any virtue, excellence, anything worthy of praise, [we are to] think on and weigh and take account of those things – fix your minds on them.
Now this might seem to be the worst kind of not facing reality were it not for the fact that earlier in the same chapter Paul has already exhorted us (v.6) to pray about everything, to pour our hearts out to the Heavenly Father with “definite requests.”
My problem is that having done this, having laid my concern before the Father, I get the feeling that if I do not frequently return to it in my mind and keep “worrying” it, much as a dog would a bone, then there certainly can be no chance of solving it. It’s a feeling that it would actually be irresponsible or frivolous not to do this – wrong to think about other things, and go my merry way while a major problem faces us.
I slip into the worry stance in spite of telling myself over and over that God is the problem-solver, that we can confidently leave our situation in His hands. I know what I should do, yet emotionally and practically I do not act out this letting go. This morning, God seems to be pointing out chapter four in Philippians as a blueprint for handling crises His way:
1. Regardless of any circumstances, we are to rejoice in the Lord always.
2. We are not to fret or have anxiety about anything.
3. We are to pray about everything, making our needs and wants known unto God.
4. We are to be content with our earthly lot, whatever it is.
5. We are to guard our thoughts, think only upon upbeat, positive things – nothing negative. If we will do the above, then we are promised: a. God’s peace shall garrison and mount guard over our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. b. Christ will “infuse inner strength into us”— that is, “We will be self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency.”
From "A Closer Walk" by Catherine Marshall (Chosen Books © 1986), used by permission of Marshall-LeSourd LLC.
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