Releasing the Weight of Worry - Your Nightly Prayer
Letting Go of Worry
Your Nightly Prayer for January 13, 2025
by Lynette Kittle
TONIGHT'S SCRIPTURE
“Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?"— Matthew 6:27
SOMETHING TO PONDER
A worrying heart — who can calm it? A cup of herbal tea may only soothe it for a time. How and
where does worry begin? Whether it’s concerning what we wear, eat, or where we live and work, it’s birthed deep inside us, taking root, sprouting, and growing from the inside out until it wraps itself around us and tries to affect every area of our lives. So how can we rid ourselves of its attempted hostile takeover of our lives? Jesus had much to say concerning dealing with worry.
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?” - Matthew 6:25
Yet, if you look at our culture today, there is much focus on what we eat, what we wear, and what we do, so who do we believe, Jesus or the world? After all, the God who designed the world, who clothed each blade of grass and flower of the field, is more than able to clothe us. As Jesus explains in Matthew 6:28-30:
“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that 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, will He not much more clothe you—you of little faith?”
Sadly, today, so much worrying is wrapped up in how other people see and value us, but what really counts is how God values us. In Matthew 6:26, Jesus tells us,
“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” We are priceless in God’s eyes, more valuable than any recognition, award, accolades, or income the world can give us. As Jesus explained, “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” - Matthew 6:31-34
YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER
Dear Father,
Thank you for the countless ways You have provided for us over the years, ways we may not have recognized, appreciated, or taken for granted and overlooked at times. Free us from the worries of the world that take our eyes off You and try to keep us from receiving all that You have for us. Teach us to understand the priceless value You give to us and to find our worth in You rather than what the world offers us. Help us to look to You for all our needs.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
THREE THINGS TO MEDITATE UPON
1. Worry has no place in our lives. It doesn’t come from God but rather is a tool of the enemy of our souls, designed to keep us distracted and preoccupied, keeping us from turning to God for our needs.
2. Worrying adds no value to our lives but instead works to rob us of our joy, peace, and love found in God.
3. As Jesus pointed out, worrying is rooted in a lack of faith in God, so as our faith increases, worry will leave us.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/gorodenkoff
Lynette Kittle is married with four daughters. She enjoys writing about faith, marriage, parenting, relationships, and life. Her writing has been published by Focus on the Family, Decision, Today’s Christian Woman, kirkcameron.com, Ungrind.org, StartMarriageRight.com, and more. She has a M.A. in Communication from Regent University and serves as associate producer for Soul Check TV.
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