“Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.” (Philippians 4:6 AMP)
I love hymns and I know most Christians do, especially when we are confronted with situations beyond our control. One of my favourites is What a Friend We have in Jesus written by Joseph M. Scriven. The words are comforting. The message is clear and it tells why God’s children worry for nothing.
What a Friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!
When we understand the concept of “everything to God is prayer“, there will be no such thing as worrying or being anxious. Philippians 4:6 says that “Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God” (AMP). This re-echoes the fact that we should be constantly be connected to God because the more connected we are, the more we talk to him about everything.
When you are constantly connected to your Source, you don’t go about talking to people about how unfair you have been treated, or how people have disappointed you. Instead you take everything to God in prayer. That is you will talk to God about the things you see as good, and those you see as bad or challenging.
Related post: Stay Connected
Often we carry loads or weight that could have otherwise been avoided if we had spoken to God immediately we encountered them. The scripture says that “Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.” (1 Peter 5:7 AMP).
“Cast your burden on the Lord [releasing the weight of it] and He will sustain you; He will never allow the [consistently] righteous to be moved (made to slip, fall, or fail). ” (Psalm 55:22 AMP)
The problem is not the sin you committed because when you confessed, God forgave you. The problem is not about the mistake you made because you might have learnt your lessons well. The problem is not about the person who hurt you badly, or how you lost your loved one(s). The real problem is that you have not given them to God. You are still carrying the guilt, resentment, pain, bitterness, etc. You have not released the weight, all your worries, all your anxieties, and all your concerns on Him. Carrying your loads means you have not fully trusted God to take care of you. From today decide to take everything (good or bad) to God in prayer
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!
The image above was used by a professor in a lecture. It illustrates the three biggest fears of our generation. The first one is Weak Connectivity, the second is buffering symbol, and the third is low battery. These three are things people(especially Millennials) want to avoid in order to stay connected with family and friends.
Smartphones have become part of us and they bring the world closer regardless of the location. When compared to the days when people queued to make calls in phone boots, or waited for weeks or months to receive reply to letters, or even rushed to internet cafes to send messages to friends and families, it can be said that smartphones are really getting people more connected and closer. The frustration, displeasure, and the fear comes when you do not get connection when needed most, or the phone runs out of battery when needed most. When such happens, everything comes to halt and its kind of you are disconnected from the world. I asked one friend why he carries three phones everyday. His answers can be summed into Connectivity, Buffering, and Low battery. He wants to stay connected with his family and friends.
The first thing I noticed at Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam was that Stay Connected at Schipol Airport with free WiFi. There were also plugs for travellers to charge their phones and laptops. This wasn’t new to me because Heathrow and other international airports have plugs for travellers to charge their gadgets. The objective is for travellers to feel comfortable and connect with loved ones during their journey.
Uplifting Christ 