Thoughts on Worry

I've known for a long time that I have the propensity toward worry, anxiety and fear - oh yeah, and a desire to try to control people and circumstances, which is closely related! It's something I fight/confess/repent of fairly often. Lately I've been "worrying" again. Just stewing over problems and issues in my mind a lot. What a waste of brain power! Anyway, I had lunch with my sister-in-law, Wendy, today and she reminded me of some important truths:

1) God hears and answers prayer!
2) I can and should prayer anywhere and anytime, or maybe I should say, everywhere and all the time.

I was convicted because I know if I have time to "stew", I have time to pray!! Keith said recently, "If you know how to complain, you know how to meditate." (He can't remember who he was quoting.) I'd like to paraphrase that a little: "If I know how to worry, I know how to pray!" I just need to turn those anxious thoughts into petitions to my wonderful Heavenly Father, who is completely powerful and good!

Then I came home and read this:
"So I advise you to live according to your new life in the Holy Spirit. then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves. The old sinful nature loves to do evil, which is just opposite from what the Holy Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are opposite from what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, and your choices are never free from this confilict. But when you are directed by the Holy Spirit, you are no longer subject to the law." Galatians 5:16 - 18, NLT

So, my desires to worry, fear, and control are from my old, sinful nature. And I know that I have good desires, from the Holy Spirit - desires to pray lots, trust my Saviour completely, be filled with His peace, joy, and love, etc. Apparently what makes the difference is my choices. And it's good to know that "my choices will never be free from this conflict." It's a daily thing and when I forget that, I fall into the enemy's trap.

"Change me, Lord, and help me to make the choice to pray, not worry, every moment of every day!"