“I have yet to meet a chronic worrier who enjoys an excellent prayer life.”
(D. A. Carson)
How are we to maintain our mental equilibrium in a world heaving with anxiety-creating situations? Several years ago I saw an advertisement in the newspaper promoting a Panic/Phobia Support Group that was meeting regularly in Thousand Oaks. There is no need to sign up there, dear saints!
Paul lays out for us a practical anchor (or, should I say, “life-line”?) in this unsettled and insecure age. It is an old anchor that has never failed. It is the divinely appointed anchor (or should I say, “antidote”?) for anxiety. It is the anchor of prayer–making our cares and fears and burdens and needs known to God. All-availing access to the living and caring God is the believer’s pill, or better, pillow. Here is what we do to gain composure and peace of soul.
The way to be anxious about nothing is to be prayerful about everything.
This has been the ancient and well-worn practice of the people of God from the beginning. Read the Psalms! Sadly and strangely this is often the last resort, instead of the first, we take. Or if we engage in it, it is often weak and perfunctory (with a minimum of effort or resolve or reflection). It seems we are often more willing to vigorously rehearse and rehash our troubles to ourselves than to the living God. “Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him” (Ps. 62:8). Prayer is an outpouring of heart. We have a poignant example of this at the beginning of 1 Samuel. When Eli rebuked Hannah for what he mistook as drunkenness as he observed her moving lips making no sound, she responded, “No, my lord, I am a woman oppressed in spirit; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the LORD” (1 Sam. 1:15). She goes on to say that her wordless prayer issued “out of my great concern and provocation” (v. 16). Blessed Hannah! Spill out your soul’s concerns to Him! Leave not a drop of burden and care in your cup. Turn your soul upside down in His secret presence and lay bear with your lips what has entangled your heart and mind.
Peter gives the same blessed counsel, “[C]asting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you” (1 Pt. 5:7; see also Ps. 55:22). I like the old language that spoke of prayer as a “rolling over” of our burdens upon God. Roll them over, not mull them over! Unload your concerns and cares and fears upon Him.
We can be careful for nothing because He is careful for everything!
He is our blessed Burden-Bearer (cf. Isa. 46:3-4)! We are weaker than we know or are willing to acknowledge. We think we can carry and bear much. Foolish, we are! If we would be free of care, then we must be full of prayer. It is in prayer that we renew our dependency, remember our mercies, and roll off our worries before the Lord.
Prayer is more, a lot more, than simply “getting something off our chest.” Prayer is not saying something to God about my care and burden, but committing that care and burden to His mighty hand, for His carrying and disposing, because that is really something that He already has control over, which is “everything”! Paul doesn’t simply limit our praying to what causes us anxiety, but, as he says, “in everything by prayer and supplication.” In other words, Quit living like everything—or anything for that matter–depends on you!” Rather, “Starting living like everything depends on God!” Which is what I call, “being in your right mind.” Because everything does depend on Him. I am not counseling forsaking what we call the normal responsibilities and duties of life. I am saying that we need Him even to carry out faithfully what we are called by Him to do.
But some may say, “I’ve tried and tried to pray about some harking (annoying, pestering) care, but I have not been settled in soul.”
Okay, okay. We will get to that!
For now I will give you this simple counsel from the apostle: “Pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thess. 5:17-18).
Blessings in the Lord Jesus Christ!
