Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6–7 (NLT)
Our dog, Flash, is a cross between a Jack Russell terrier and a Chihuahua. He is cute and fast and loves to play. He loves it when you throw him the ball. He just has one problem. Once he brings the ball back to you, he won’t let it go. You can tell he wants to give it to you as he nudges it toward you. But as soon as you try and pick it up, he snatches it and growls. Then he looks at you, as if to say, “Why aren’t you playing with me?”
The dog has issues. So do I. That is probably why I like him so much. I am just like Flash, who worries over his toy, constantly moving it around, never taking his eyes off it. This is what I do with my problems. I cannot let them go. I keep thinking about them, feeling sick to my stomach. All the while, my eyes are on Jesus and I am saying, “Why aren’t You doing anything about this? I keep bringing it to You.” I bring my problem to Him. But I forget to let it go. I forget to say, “I would like You to take care of this, so I am placing it in Your hands.”
When we pray, we are “tossing the ball.” Laying our worries, our cares, our dreams at the feet of Jesus. But it is only when we have emptied our hearts and minds of our worries that He can fill us up with His overwhelming peace that passes all understanding.
Faith Step: Picture yourself throwing your “ball” of worries into the sky. Release them to Jesus’s care and ask Him to fill you with His overwhelming peace.
