Pray More, Worry Less

“Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” —Matthew 6:27

In the 5th century, St. Augustine, one of the most prolific scholars of the early church on the subjects of theology, philosphy and sociology, began his book Our Lord's Sermon on the Mount saying:

"If anyone will piously and soberly consider the sermon which our Lord Jesus Christ spoke on the mount, as we read it in the Gospel according to Matthew, I think that he will find in it, so far as regards the highest morals, a perfect standard of the Christian life."

Yesterday I was so tired.  I worried myself into a corner about issues I have no control over.  I worried about our old hoopty truck that I drive to work (we have two vehicles) and a transmission issue from last week that made it rain fluid as fast as you could put it in the transmission.  It turned out to be a transmission dipstick tube that disconnected, but still, what's going to happen now?  Any more random inconveniences and things that are going to completely challenge and destroy my path?

And what did I get out of all this stress, anxiety and now complete exhaustion?

NOT. A. THING.  Just drooping eyelids, a headache, and a glum demeanor.

Jesus's teachings from the Sermon on the Mount serve as a guidepost for the follower's of Christ in ancient times and continue now for the modern Christian's walk with God.  

He tells the multitude several times (I guess he needed to repeat it to get into everyone's thick skulls) not to worry!

Read Matthew 6:25-34, here are the major points: 

1. Don't worry about your life.  Can you add a single hour to your life by worrying?
2. Why do you worry about clothes and what you are going to wear?
3. Why are you worrying about food and drink?
4. Do not worry about tomorrow.
5. God's got you.

It's easier said than done, am I right?  I know I am a fixer and I need to jump in headfirst to be on top of every situation, but, is it always the best course of action?

I was trying to meditate yesterday at work; thoughts and mini prayers; earnestly trying not to focus on the thing God knows effects me the most: WORRY coupled with FEAR. I eventually passed the test, barely, but it was tiring.  .....And that is what I think happened yesterday.  A test.

When I sat down to write, I did some research on worry.  I wanted to know more on God testing us and Satan's temptations and I found an excellent Q & A from the writings of Rev. Billy Graham which discusses tests and conflicts in our spiritual life like this:

"The devil tempts and God tests. The Bible says that God allows Satan to tempt us but God uses it as a test often to reveal how weak the flesh is. God does not want us to depend on our own strength to flee temptation; He wants us to depend totally and completely on Him."

Yesterday, I was confronted over and over with challenges both large and small in my workday (family and work related) and handled each inconvenience with God's grace (or at least tried to). 

I trusted he would help me with my worry. I trust that if that junky truck breaks down, God will make a way for me to get to work. I didn't completely lose it resorting to rage, like I used to when I was younger, I didn't cry; I just strengthened what some people call resolve, but I know it as Faith.