Don’t Worry... about Anything!

Philippians 4:6

By Dolores Witham

Over 20 years ago, a ladies club was formed in the church that I attended at the time. Our minister encouraged women to speak– very exciting! Even after he was transferred and left the area, the ladies club continued, until someone came in to the area and thought a ladies club should not exist.

In January of 1982, it was probably my last turn to speak in that church. I spoke on how not to worry! I handed out little 5.5" X 8.5" booklets tied in the upper left corner with a colored yarn bow, –made with love!

Over the years, I guess I have handed out well over 100 of these little booklets, –even to strangers in hospital waiting rooms...like Huntington Memorial in the Pasadena area. I was there waiting for my first granddaughter to make her entrance into this world... and spoke to a troubled grandmother, whose grandchild had serious problems. While talking with her, I gave her one of my little booklets. She hunted me up about 3 hours later, and told me how grateful she was that I spoke to her and gave her that booklet, –it really helped her.

I like to encourage people to look into God’s Word, and to learn from it. What follows is a revised, reprinted, web site version of that booklet. May our Father in Heaven use it to help you learn how to worry not!

Notes from my personal study on: How Not to Worry!

Webster’s Dictionary defines worry as “to twist, to strangle, to choke, continual biting or tearing. To pluck at, push on, touch repeatedly in a nervous or determined way. To annoy, bother, harass, vex. To cause to feel troubled or uneasy, make anxious, distressed in mind. Troubled.”

I guess if I had to put it in my own words, I would say “worry is unnecessary mental pain.” Worry can be cured, I know! And it is as simple as altering the attitudes of mind. I firmly believe that when I change my way of thinking– that changes my life!

If I can do it, then you can do it, anybody can do it, give it a try!!

Focus on God

I have learned (over these past 65 years!) when I have my mind on GOD, worry can’t get in! When I allow God’s Spirit to live in me – worry can’t! God’s Spirit and worry are incompatible. One must leave!

I have the right, the responsibility to choose which one stays, which one leaves. I am a free moral agent. I chose to put out worry... and allow God’s Spirit to live and grow and consume my mind.

Worry causes uncontrolled, illogical thinking. But when you do as Philippians 2:5 tells you to do, “let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus”, you will find that with God’s Help, you have the POWER to overcome any circumstance, or problem in your life. You can come up over any problem you might have!

Worry, or fearfulness, is a type of sin, and it comes from a lack of faith in God. It will have no place in the Kingdom of God, Revelation 21:8.

I have incorporated into my prayer each morning words to this effect, Thank you Father, because I know there isn’t anything that can come into my life today, that we can’t handle together.

With this attitude, I am a new person! Old things are indeed passed away, behold ALL things are become new, 2 Corinthians 5:17.

Build your Trust in God

I know that this is truth...and I feel like I have just discovered...the KEY to overcoming worry. I have done this by building my faith or Trust in the Eternal God. By believing not only on HIM – or in HIM – or through HIM – but by BELIEVING everything HE tells me in HIS WORD!

I have come to this understanding or KNOWING, and I really and truly believe that the Eternal God daily takes care of me. He provides everything I need, for today, which eventually means throughout eternity. Because, you see when tomorrow gets here...it is called “today”.

I honestly believe, there isn’t anything that can come into my life that will defeat me. The faith of God will help me overcome anything!

I do agree that the power of worry or fear is one of the strongest powers that I have learned to experience. But now, I have also learned to experience “to really know” the POWER of FAITH!

The power of faith in God, is by far greater...it absorbs fear, it cancels out worry, it abolishes doubt!

I think what I have learned today, is so incredible, if you have not already come to this understanding, I pray that with my notes, you will get a glimpse of what I am trying to tell you.

To me, BELIEVING – is totally – completely – absolutely – confidently TRUSTING GOD – with every ounce of my being! Today, I have seen mountains move, Matthew 17:20 spiritual mountains, Mark 11:23 gone into the sea – I really do believe it!

The Good News Bible renders Psalms 32:4-8 as “I prayed to the LORD, and HE answered me. HE freed me from all my fears. I will never by disappointed. He saves me from all my troubles. His angel guards me, rescues me from danger.” Find out for yourself how good the LORD is. Happy are those who find safety with HIM!

2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given me the spirit of fear, but of POWER and of LOVE and of a sound mind.

If you have a sound mind, you cannot be a victim of worry, anxiety or fear.

Some of the small irritations that come my way prove to be blessings in disguise! They have made me call on God more (more desperately), rely on God more (more completely), trust God more (more completely). GOD IS ABLE to provide all the power that I will ever need! To me, this is so exciting!

Commit your life to the ETERNAL, Trust HIM completely and HE will set you FREE!

I know, because HE HAS FREED ME! John 8:32,36. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free... If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.

Keep your eyes on Jesus...walk on water...take your eyes off of Jesus you’ll sink like Peter did, Matt. 14:27-31.

Cultivate a Positive Attitude

Worry is negative thinking, used by Satan to defeat you. It sends out negative vibes and activates the world around you negatively.

But just the opposite, a positive thinking person, one who really believes God, is full of faith, Love and hope, in life, in people, in himself, and constantly sends out positive thoughts about everything! He activates the world around him positively!

Worry cannot exist in a positive mental attitude...so...cultivate a positive attitude!

I must interject something that happened to me in 1994... I found myself in the hospital, and I had some kind of a blockage... so the surgeon is telling me and my family that his most educated prognosis was, that I had cancer. He would perform a colostomy, and I would get to have one of those little bags! This wasn’t good news...but out of my mouth came”We are not even going to think about that!” And so we didn’t...the operation was performed, and the doctor found two huge gallstones stuck together, in a place where gallstones don’t hang out. That was good news!

I’m glad I didn’t get one of those bags, they’re not all that pretty! Every time I saw my surgeon, he complimented me on having such a positive attitude, but enough about me...back to my booklet!

Psalms 94:19 Whenever I am anxious and worried, YOU comfort me and make me glad.

If you say, “I can’t overcome worry”...you are right. Because you think you can’t. Change your thinking, and you’ll be able to!

Count your Blessings

A good way to start overcoming WORRY is to start counting your blessings. But, if you are having problems finding enough blessings, just count the PROMISES OF GOD IN HIS WORD. This will replace worry!

Picture yourself as a victorious, fearless, worry-free child of God, and you will become one! GOD’S POWER enables you to come up over anything, and live on a higher level of freedom and happiness.

To the degree you believe this, to that degree it will be true!

Just as Satan sends ideas into your mind, so does GOD. How can you tell the difference? Analyze it! If it has to do with:

• FAITH, HOPE or LOVE, it comes from the Eternal. Act upon it immediately!

• Worry, Fear, Despair or Hate, it comes from Satan. Reject it immediately!

Notice, the first is just the opposite of the second. Each requires you to make the next move. Don’t toy with either one. To do so could be fatal.

One of my favorite scriptures, I’d like to quote from the Good News Bible, Philippians 4:6, “Don’t worry about anything, but in all your prayers, ask GOD for what you need, Always asking HIM with a thankful heart.” Vs. 7, tells why, “and GOD’S PEACE, which is far beyond human understanding, will keep your hearts and minds SAFE in union with Christ Jesus.”

Just in case you don’t have a Good News Bible handy, I’ll quote a few more scriptures for you:

Psalms 23:4 I will not be afraid, LORD, for YOU are with me.

Isaiah 26:3-4 YOU, LORD–give perfect peace to those who keep their purpose firm and put their trust in YOU. TRUST THE LORD, FOREVER, HE will always protect you.

1 Peter 5:7 Leave all your worries with HIM, He cares for you.

Luke 11:9 Ask, and you will receive. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you.

Mark 11:24 When you pray and ask for something, BELIEVE that you have received it, and you will be given whatever you ask for.

John 15:7 If you remain in ME and MY Words remain in you, then you will ask for anything you wish, and you shall have it.

Philippians 4:13 I have the strength to face all conditions by the POWER that Christ gives me!

Romans 7:25 Thanks be to GOD, who does this through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 2:10 God has made us what we are, and in our union with Christ Jesus, HE has created us for a life of good deeds, which HE has already prepared for us to do.

2 Peter 2:9 And so the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials.

Proverbs 31:30 Charm is deceptive and beauty disappears, but a woman who honors the LORD shall be praised.

Jeremiah 31:3 I have always loved you, so I continue to show you My constant love.

Romans 5:1 Now that we have been put right with GOD through FAITH, we have peace with GOD through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 8:1 There is no condemnation NOW for those who live in union with Christ Jesus.

Psalms 4:1 Answer me when I pray, O GOD, my Defender. When I was in trouble, YOU helped me.

Psalms 37:1,3,4 Don’t be worried...Trust in the LORD, be safe. Seek you happiness in the LORD. Trust in HIM and HE will help you.

Matthew 6:25, 31-34 Do not be worried about food, drink, clothes... Don’t start worrying about those, like the pagans do. Instead, be concerned about everything else with the Kingdom of God, and with what HE requires of you. Then HE will provide you with all these other things. Do not worry about tomorrow!!

Proverbs 12:25 Worry can rob you of happiness.

Proverbs 14:30 Peace of mind, makes the body healthy.

Proverbs 15: 13 When people are happy, they smile. (so smile a lot!)

Proverbs 17:22 Being cheerful keeps you healthy.

Colossians 3:2 Keep your minds fixed on things above.

Romans 8:5 Those who live as the Spirit tells them to, have their minds controlled by what the Spirit wants. Vs. 9, You live as the Spirit tells you to, if, in fact, God’s Spirit lives in you. Vs. 14-15, Those who are led by God’s Sprit are God’s Sons. The Spirit that God has given you does not make you slaves and cause you to be afraid.

Romans 12:2 Let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Then you will be able to know the Will of God, What is good and is pleasing to HIM and is perfect.

1 Corinthians 3:21-23 Actually, everything belongs to you, this world, life and death, the present and the future. All these are yours! And you belong to Christ and Christ belongs to GOD.

Galatians 5:16 Let the Spirit direct your lives, and you will not satisfy the desires of the human nature.

Ephesians 5:18 Be filled with the Spirit!

1 John 4:4 But you belong to God, and have defeated the false prophets, because the Spirit who is in you is more powerful than the spirit in those who belong to the world.

1 John 5:4-5 Every child of God is able to defeat the world. We win the victory over the world by means of our FAITH. Who can defeat the world? Only the person who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

Deuteronomy 31:8 The LORD Himself will lead you and be with you. He will not fail you or abandon you, so do not lose courage or be afraid.

Isaiah 12:2 God is my Savior, I will trust HIM and not be afraid. The LORD gives me POWER and STRENGTH, HE IS MY SAVIOR.

Isaiah 41:10 Do not be afraid, I am with you! I am your God, let nothing terrify you. I will make you strong and help you. I will protect you and SAVE you. Vs. 13-14, I am the LORD your God, I strengthen you and tell you, Do not be afraid, I will help you. Small and weak as you are, don’t be afraid. I will help you. I, the HOLY GOD of Israel, am the one who saves you!

Here are some of the scriptures that helped me so much, to know that it is:

THE ETERNAL that does the fighting for me...

I don’t have to on my own, by myself: Also see:

Exodus 14:14 The LORD shall fight for you, and you shall hold your peace. Vs. 25 And took off their chariot wheels, that they drove them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD fights for them against the Egyptians.

Deuteronomy 1:30 The LORD your God which goes before you, he shall fight for you, according to all that he did for you in Egypt before your eyes.

Deuteronomy 3:22 You shall not fear them: for the LORD your God he shall fight for you. Vs. 20:4 For the LORD your God is he that goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.

Joshua 10:14 And there was no day like that before it or after it, that
the LORD listened to the voice of a man: for the LORD fought for Israel. Vs. 42 And all these kings and their land did Joshua take at one time, because the LORD God of Israel fought for Israel.

Joshua 23:3 And you have seen all that the LORD your God has done to all these nations because of you; for the LORD your God is he that has fought for you. Vs.10 One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD your God, he it is that fights for you, as he has promised you.

2 Chronicles 20:29 And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries, when they had heard that the LORD fought against the enemies of Israel.

Nehemiah 4:20 In what place therefore you hear the sound of the
trumpet, resort you thither to us: our God shall fight for us.

I know that there are many, many more scriptures that give us such promises... I just wanted to give you a few to help you get started with your own personal study of “How Not To Worry”.

Don’t hesitate to share these papers with friends and associates, always include this and the following paragraph in all copies. Please ask for permission before reproducing the content in any form.