Post by MIRIAM JACOB on Oct 20, 2006 12:34:40 GMT -5
10 Ways for Christians to Overcome Worry By Rebecca Livermore
Christians are not immune to worry. Thankfully, we have the tools needed to fight against it. I’ve found the following tips helpful when worry begins to invade my thoughts, robbing me of peace.
1. Listen to praise and worship music. Praise and worship music can help drown out the voice of worry. Listening to it is a great way to bring your focus off of your problems and onto God. Pick music that is upbeat and encouraging and don’t be afraid to crank it up!
2. Read Scriptures on worry. The Bible addresses the subject of worry, and in fact commands us not to worry. If you don’t know which verses cover this topic, use a concordance to find some. The words you’ll want to look up in your concordance are fear, worry, hope, peace, etc.
3. Memorize Scriptures on worry. Once you’ve found verses that speak to your heart about worry, begin to commit those verses to memory. That way, when worry begins to sneak up on you, you can immediately fight against it with the Scriptures already hidden in your heart and mind.
4. Pray, committing all of your worries to God. When we pray, amazing things happen. First of all, we invite God into the situation we are worried about, and that means that we’re not walking through the situation alone. Not only will He help you, knowing He is with you will give you peace, which will immediately lessen your worries.
5. Write in your journal about your worries. Sometimes when we write down our worries we can see more clearly that we are not thinking objectively. Other times a possible solution to a problem might emerge as you write. If nothing else, writing our worries can release them from our minds, especially when you use your pen to form a prayer, releasing your worries to the Lord.
6. Discuss your worries with a friend. Sometimes friends can help us to see things more objectively. Just voicing your concerns to someone else who can share the burden will make you feel less overwhelmed. Your friend may also be able to help you to see things more objectively. Make sure your friend is one who understands life from a biblical perspective.
7. Remind yourself that God is in control. Scripture states that if God is for us, no one can be against us. Knowing that our loving, gracious Father controls all things will help you rest and bring peace to your heart.
8. If there is something reasonable you can do to reduce worry, do so. Sometimes we are worried for no reason, but other times there are things we need to do to alleviate the worry. For instance, if you are worried that the electricity is going to be cut off because you haven’t paid your bill, call the electric company to see if there is something you can work out with them until you have the money to pay them.
9. Develop an attitude of praise. It’s almost impossible for praise and worry to happen simultaneously so when you feel worry coming on, begin to praise the Lord. Say things out loud such as, “God, I praise you for your goodness. I praise you that you are in control and that you love me and want only good things for me. I praise you that you control the wind and the sea and that this problem facing me is nothing compared to your power and might.”
10. Remind yourself of God’s protection and provision in the past. One of the best ways to combat worry is to remember God’s faithfulness in your life. To help you do this more effectively, keep a journal where you write down stories of God’s goodness, care, provision, protection, etc. Reading it when you are worried will increase your faith and decrease your fear.
© 2006 by Rebecca Livermore, a Christian speaker and writer from Denver, Colorado. Her passion is helping people grow spiritually. To read more of her articles on Christian living, and to check out her always growing selection of Christian resource materials, visit www.rebeccalivermore.com.
Article Source: www.faithwriters.com
Christians are not immune to worry. Thankfully, we have the tools needed to fight against it. I’ve found the following tips helpful when worry begins to invade my thoughts, robbing me of peace.
1. Listen to praise and worship music. Praise and worship music can help drown out the voice of worry. Listening to it is a great way to bring your focus off of your problems and onto God. Pick music that is upbeat and encouraging and don’t be afraid to crank it up!
2. Read Scriptures on worry. The Bible addresses the subject of worry, and in fact commands us not to worry. If you don’t know which verses cover this topic, use a concordance to find some. The words you’ll want to look up in your concordance are fear, worry, hope, peace, etc.
3. Memorize Scriptures on worry. Once you’ve found verses that speak to your heart about worry, begin to commit those verses to memory. That way, when worry begins to sneak up on you, you can immediately fight against it with the Scriptures already hidden in your heart and mind.
4. Pray, committing all of your worries to God. When we pray, amazing things happen. First of all, we invite God into the situation we are worried about, and that means that we’re not walking through the situation alone. Not only will He help you, knowing He is with you will give you peace, which will immediately lessen your worries.
5. Write in your journal about your worries. Sometimes when we write down our worries we can see more clearly that we are not thinking objectively. Other times a possible solution to a problem might emerge as you write. If nothing else, writing our worries can release them from our minds, especially when you use your pen to form a prayer, releasing your worries to the Lord.
6. Discuss your worries with a friend. Sometimes friends can help us to see things more objectively. Just voicing your concerns to someone else who can share the burden will make you feel less overwhelmed. Your friend may also be able to help you to see things more objectively. Make sure your friend is one who understands life from a biblical perspective.
7. Remind yourself that God is in control. Scripture states that if God is for us, no one can be against us. Knowing that our loving, gracious Father controls all things will help you rest and bring peace to your heart.
8. If there is something reasonable you can do to reduce worry, do so. Sometimes we are worried for no reason, but other times there are things we need to do to alleviate the worry. For instance, if you are worried that the electricity is going to be cut off because you haven’t paid your bill, call the electric company to see if there is something you can work out with them until you have the money to pay them.
9. Develop an attitude of praise. It’s almost impossible for praise and worry to happen simultaneously so when you feel worry coming on, begin to praise the Lord. Say things out loud such as, “God, I praise you for your goodness. I praise you that you are in control and that you love me and want only good things for me. I praise you that you control the wind and the sea and that this problem facing me is nothing compared to your power and might.”
10. Remind yourself of God’s protection and provision in the past. One of the best ways to combat worry is to remember God’s faithfulness in your life. To help you do this more effectively, keep a journal where you write down stories of God’s goodness, care, provision, protection, etc. Reading it when you are worried will increase your faith and decrease your fear.
© 2006 by Rebecca Livermore, a Christian speaker and writer from Denver, Colorado. Her passion is helping people grow spiritually. To read more of her articles on Christian living, and to check out her always growing selection of Christian resource materials, visit www.rebeccalivermore.com.
Article Source: www.faithwriters.com