The most significant shift I have made is my approach to worry. Before, I would pray every night for God to take away my worry. The next day would be the same stress and anxiety, sleepless nights, or overthinking. Some worries would be resolved with time, but there was always something else to take its place.
Church and the Bible says that God hears our every prayer. I thought I had prayed my prayer, and now I just need to wait on God's timing for him to answer it right? But these thoughts kept popping up in my head on a weekly, if not daily, basis.
I continued to pray, so where was I going wrong? I knew God was good and he loved me. I knew that he is powerful and works all things for our good. So why wasn't he taking this constant need to worry away from me? God seemed to keep this burden in my life and eventually I was resigned to thinking this was 'just the way he made me'.
That was the biggest lie that I could believe! Through this tiny shift in my approach to worries I gained the ability to rest in God's deep peace everyday, instead of being consumed by worry.
Tiny Shift #1:
Before my prayers would look like this: "God I am doing the best I can as a mom. I am worried these kids will not turn out okay. I know that you are a powerful loving God who has a good plan for them both. Please take this worry away from me, because I know you have this God. Amen."
Notice how I reminded myself, even while talking with God, of my knowledge of him. "I know you are powerful ... I know you have this." I had knowledge of God, how he worked and how good he was. But where did that get me if I wasn't taking action on my knowledge? The Bible reminds us that even the demons know who God is.
Now my prayers look like this: "God I worry that I am going to mess up these kids. I worry that they will not turn out okay. I give these worries up to you. I give you control of my life and the kids lives. Thank you for being a good, loving God and forgiving my sins. Give me your thoughts, words and actions today, so my kids can see your love through the Holy Spirit working within me. Amen."
God already knew my heart, he knows what I know. He was waiting on me to take action on that knowledge. What did Jesus ask of us? To give your life to him. I am no longer asking God to take away my worries, then waiting on him while the worry continues. I am acting on my knowledge of him, by giving over my worries. This is an act of obedience because worry is a part of life. And every part of life should be given over to him.
Your circumstances will not change after this prayer. You may still be waiting on the Lord's timing. I certainly am. The difference between waiting on the Lord before and now is peace. Giving the burden of worry over to God makes room for the Holy Spirit to fill you with his peace. God intends for us to rest in his peace while we wait on him. That is so much better than before, when I was filled with worry while I waited. It was depressing and exhausting. My prayer is you can give the burden of worry over to God too and experience his deep peace in your life!
Take action:
Pray for God to give you the courage to seek him and to change your heart. Ask him to reveal the areas you need to change.
Start writing down a few of your prayers. Notice the words you normally use.
Introspection with God. Pray for God's wisdom and guidance as you write down your worries, both long term and short term. Naming each one helps you realize everything that burdens your heart.
Give worries over to God in prayer. I like to have my hand open during these prayers as a symbol of letting go.
Sit with God in the quiet. Ask him to give you his peace, ask for a deep peace that you feel throughout every day.
Notice if you feel that peace within you the next few days. Continue to name your worries and give them over to God in short prayers throughout your day.