Worry is one thing I do well. I suspect you worry, too. \u00a0There\u2019s plenty to worry about in this life!<\/p>\n
I’m learning to conquer worry by casting every care on the Lord. That\u2019s the second key to dispensing the sweet fragrance of Christ as we walk through this life. Last week we looked at the first key\u2014getting to know the Lord intimately and putting his teachings into practice.<\/p>\n
Listen to what Jesus said to his disciples: \u201c\u2026do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.<\/p>\n
\u201cConsider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?<\/p>\n
\u201cConsider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith!\u201d (Luke 12:22-28 NIV).<\/p>\n
Here’s how I found it. My friend Evangelist Walter St. Clair asked me to write his life story, and we started to work on A Journey of Victory. <\/em>Since he lived in Florida and my home is Tennessee, we spent about 100 hours on the phone. He always ended our conversation with Scripture, often quoting these familiar words.<\/p>\n \u201cCast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved\u201d (Psalm 55:22 KJV). The promise embedded itself in my heart.<\/p>\n I ran into a friend\u2014we hadn\u2019t seen each other since childhood\u2014and soon learned about her hard place. Her husband had deserted her and she was working two jobs to make ends meet. There wasn\u2019t time to give much encouragement, but I offered to send one of my books.<\/p>\n Later, I signed it, \u201cRemembering carefree days.\u201d Suddenly I heard God\u2019s voice in my heart.<\/p>\n I still have a program for care-free living. Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. <\/em><\/p>\n Psalm 55:22\u2026God\u2019s program for carefree living!<\/p>\nPsalm 55:22\u2026God\u2019s program for carefree living! <\/a><\/span>Click To Tweet<\/a><\/span>\n As the Lord began teaching me to apply that awesome promise, I learned to rest in situations that threatened my peace. Once I cried out to him about a circumstance, \u201cLord, this is out of my hands!\u201d He answered.<\/p>\n Worry? I can go back there at any moment\u2026or I can choose another way.<\/p>\n \u201cDo not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. And God\u2019s peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus\u201d (Philippians 4:6-7 Amplified).<\/p>\n It\u2019s his gift when we present our request, knowing he heard and leaving the matter in his almighty hands. \u201cBut certainly God has heard me; He has given heed to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, Who has not rejected my prayer nor removed His mercy and loving-kindness from being [as it always is] with me\u201d (Psalm 66:19-20 Amplified).<\/p>\n \u201cAnd this is the confidence (the assurance, the privilege of boldness) which we have in Him: [we are sure] that if we ask anything (make any request) according to His will (in agreement with His own plan), He listens to and hears us.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd if (since) we [positively] know that He listens to us in whatever we ask, we also know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that we have [granted us as our present possessions] the requests made of Him\u201d (1 John 5:14-15 Amplified).<\/p>\n Precious friend, are you in a place you never saw coming in your wildest nightmare? Feeling as if you\u2019re in the middle of a river at flood stage, hanging by a thread of hope?<\/p>\n Cast your burden on the Lord and he will sustain you. He will not let you drown. Cry out to him about the cares of your heart. Cast every burden on him and rest, knowing he\u2019s heard. This is out of your feeble hands and into his almighty hands.<\/p>\n You and I can also talk. Please leave a comment. I\u2019d appreciate your sharing this post with friends.<\/p>\n \u00a9 Dianne Barker 2018<\/p>\n Find last week’s post here: https:\/\/diannebarker.com\/?p=558<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Worry is one thing I do well. I suspect you worry, too. \u00a0There\u2019s plenty to worry about in this life! I’m learning to conquer worry by casting every care on the Lord. That\u2019s the second key to dispensing the sweet fragrance of Christ as we walk through this life. Last week we looked at the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3],"tags":[55,9,56,58,57,54],"class_list":["post-568","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general","tag-carefree-living","tag-dianne-barker","tag-god-hears","tag-peace","tag-rest","tag-worry-is-there-a-better-way-to-do-life"],"yoast_head":"\nAnd you\u2019re crying because this is out of your feeble hands and into my almighty hands?<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n
Our peace doesn\u2019t depend on getting God to do things our way.<\/strong><\/h3>\nOur peace doesn\u2019t depend on getting God to do things our way. <\/a><\/span>Click To Tweet<\/a><\/span>\n