Powerful Truths to Help Us Turn Worry into Thankfulness

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6).Ever worry about something so much, the worry turns into worrying about all of the worry? I hate to admit this, but sometimes I am capable of worrying for another person’s worry – possibly more than they are worrying about their own worries! “It’s in our nature to pay more attention to warning signs than to positive news,” Kat McGowan wrote for Psychology Today. “Human beings are designed to be on the alert for trouble.” Worry can be a dangerous downward cycle of thinking, which rips the rug out of our productiveness in our daily lives. We lose the ability to be fully present when our minds are consumed with all of the ways things can go wrong. Worry can make us weary!The definition of worry is “to torment oneself with or suffer from disturbing thoughts.” I know, because I am a worry warrior. This struggle led me to Scripture in order to find the tools wise mentors and counselors have taught me to use when climbing a steep wall of worry: God’s Word.Thankfulness, possibly the polar opposite of worry, frees our minds and hearts from the burden of all things which could go wrong every day of our lives. The Bible contains a ton of encouragement, but rather than share happy sentiments, God’s Word equips us for battle against the worries of this world which plague many of us.(I mentioned counseling earlier, because I believe it’s essential to those of us who worry ourselves into a pit of anxiety, and possibly depression. To no fault of our own, we are susceptible to something beyond our control, and it requires the same care and attention as any other physical sickness or disease. Seek out help. I am a believer in Christian counseling, because I can line the care of my mind up with what the Creator of it says is true. Don’t suffer alone. Reach out and know you’re not the only one.)“The list of damage that worry can do, because of the biology of stress, is long and scary,” David Ropeik wrote for Psychology Today. “Which means that not worrying more than we have to may be the best thing we can do for our health.” God isn’t surprised by our struggle with worry. There are a lot of mental and physical challenges He knows are part of our everyday reality. He doesn’t leave us to suffer through it alone, nor does He shame us for not having enough faith in Him to overcome it.As a teenager, I was a door-slammer, to the point I would slam it off its frame. Every time, my dad would faithfully put the door back on its frame, and then walk over to my emotional mess to make sure I knew how much he loved me. I tell this story a lot to people who don’t understand how compassionate God is. God loves us in our brokenness, and infinitely more.The following Scriptures can be a jump-start of the journey towards healing. When we proverbially slam the door off the frame, frustrated and overwhelmed by all of the worry in our minds, God patiently reattaches it, by the power of His Word. Gratitude for who God is can help put a dent in the worries threatening to derail our health, productivity, and relationships. Run to Him. He is prepared, for such a time as this, to walk with us through any and every challenge we face in this life. Arm in arm, He is our Mighty Savior.Biblical Truths to Combat Worry“This is my command - be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).“Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take” (Proverbs 3:5-6).“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done” (Philippians 4:6).“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7).“Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close behind me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me” (Psalm 23:4).“But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not grow faint” (Isaiah 40:31).“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life - whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing?” (Matthew 6:25).Powerful Truths in Scripture to Ignite the Power of Thankfulness in Our Lives“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever” (1 Chronicles 16:34).“Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).“The LORD is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy” (Psalms 28:7).“Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us” (Romans 5:1).“Since everything God created is good, we should not reject any of it but receive it with thanks. For we know it is made acceptable by the word of God and prayer” (1 Timothy 4:4-5).“All of this is for your benefit. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory. That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day” (2 Corinthians 4:15-16).ConclusionThough we cannot control all of the thoughts which enter our minds daily, we can decide which to keep and which to flip around. When worry enters our mind, we can take one of the verses above, and pray them over our lives. God is faithful to reveal what is true, and what is worth turning into active concern. He will illuminate what is beyond our control, and getting in the way of a thankful, grateful heart. Let’s pray:Father, Since everything You created is good, we should not reject any of it but receive it with thanks. We know it is made acceptable by Your Word and prayer (1 Timothy 4:4-5). Lord, You are our strength and shield. We trust you with all of our hearts. You help us, and our hearts are filled with joy (Psalm 28:7). God, You are good. Your faithful love endures forever (1 Chronicles 16:34). Empower us by Your Holy Spirit living in us through Christ Jesus, to be thankful in all circumstances.In Jesus’ Name,Amen.More from this authorDon’t Lose Your Sense of WonderWhy Is Unity So Crucial for the Church?The Benefit of Confessing Our Desire for ControlPhoto credit: ©Getty Images/vadimguzhvaMeg writes about everyday life within the love of Christ. She earned a Marketing/PR degree from Ashland University, and stepped out of the business world in 2008 to stay home and raise her two daughters …which led her to pursue her writing passion as a blogger, freelance writer, and author. A contributing writer for Salem Web Network since 2016, Meg is now thrilled to be a part of the editorial team at Salem Web Network. You can find her entire body of work on her Amazon Author Page.

Powerful Truths to Help Us Turn Worry into Thankfulness

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