Many of the single adults I meet feel that their life is less than it should be. They are nagged by a persistent low-grade worry. Even younger people seem to feel an internal pressure to be "working on" the search for a mate and making significant headway towards a marital relationship.
They are bound by worry.
The Apostle Paul encourages us not to worry about anything! In one broad stroke, he models a mastery over the "small stuff" that is backed up by a specific instruction unavailable to persons outside this powerful faith he promotes.
Paul says simply: "Pray about everything!"
Paul teaches us that worry isn't worth the effort. Goodness knows, worry requires a lot of effort. I once heard a person say that, "A day of worry is more exhausting than a day of work." And someone else has said that, "Worry is wasting today's time cluttering up tomorrow's opportunities with yesterday's troubles."
Most things you worry about never live up to their fear-causing power. One recent survey indicates that 40 percent of the things we worry about never happen; 30 percent are in the past and can't be helped; 12 percent concern the affairs of others that aren't our business; 10 percent are about sickness, either real or imagined; and 8 percent are worth worrying about. But even the 8 percent worth worrying about aren't really worth the energy of worry.
So, Paul says, put your energy where it can really do some good. Pray passionately about whatever it is that concerns you!
For over 30 years I have seen people in psychotherapy, and I have watched literally thousands of people go through perilous times. I have noted on many occasions that the persons who pray passionately end up overcoming the difficulties they face. They bring a "mighty power" to the issues they confront, and this power, through them, does incredible things.
When I was in high school, I encountered an inspirational man by the name of Dr. Cherry Parker. He wrote a book titled Prayer Can Change Your Life. Through his encouragement, I began praying about the things that concerned me. For a long time, however, I remained unconvinced about prayer on some deep level of my psyche.
But when I later discovered "passionate prayer," I realized how powerful the process of prayer can be in the life of a human being. Whatever it is that you care deeply about, far and away the best thing you can do for it is to pray passionately about it. Turn your attention to the source of incredible power and ask Christ to move through you in relation to this concern of yours.
You will come to the place where worry will literally vanish from your life. When you encounter a challenge, you will immediately begin to think about prayer. This new perspective will make of you a dynamic person, because the Holy Spirit will empower you to do mighty things.
No more worry! Just prayer!
"Don't Worry About Anything, But Pray About Everything" --(Philippians 4:6).
The eHarmony Research Library is a branch of eHarmony.com(tm), North America's most successful Relationship Building Service. Our precise technology searches a database of 500,000 persons to find truly compatible matches. Then, eHarmony's guided communication system helps you meet and get to know each other in an appropriate, in-depth manner. Click HERE to learn more about eHarmony.