A Prayer for When You're Worrying About the Future
I’ve spent much of my life worrying. As a young adult, I often worried that I was making the wrong decision and my life wouldn’t turn out the way I expected.
Now, as a close-to-middle aged parent, my worry is usually revolved around my kids… or money. We live in an anxious age, and focus on Jesus is more crucial than ever.
Worry doesn’t ever produce anything good, though. I think of the quote by Baz Luhrmann, “Worrying is about as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum.”
When Jesus said, “Don’t worry about tomorrow,” He knew as human beings we are too preoccupied by the things in our heads that haven’t even happened. Which is why renewing our mind with the Word of God is so crucial.
If we constantly fill ourselves with bad news (even our own made-up thoughts) it will produce worry. If we fill ourselves with truth, peace will eventually replace worry.
Truth tells us why we can have peace and why we don’t need to let worry reign in our life. There are many passages in the Bible where God tells us not to worry:
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” -Philippians 4:6-7, ESV
“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” -Matthew 6:34, ESV
“Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” -1 Peter 5:7, ESV
“When the cares of my heart are many,
your consolations cheer my soul.” -Psalm 94:19, ESV
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” -John 14:27, ESV
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” -Proverbs 3:5-6, ESV
“Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down,
but a good word makes him glad.” -Proverbs 12:25, ESV
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.” -Jeremiah 17:7-8, ESV
Meditate on those verses. Print them out and stick them all over your home, your office, your car. Make God your portion, bigger than any worry. Pray this prayer to help with your worry:
Dear God,
I thank You that You are with me and for me. I thank You that You know the future even when I don’t. I thank You that You will provide everything I need: physically, financially, emotionally, and spiritually. I thank You that You are my peace, no matter my circumstances. I ask right now that You would renew my mind and help me to see You over the worry. I give You all my cares and anxieties. I give You all the things I can’t predict, all the things I will face in the future. I thank You that You are there with me, You love me and You will guide me. In Jesus’ name, amen.
