“Don’t worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks for what you have.” –Philippians 4:6 ERV

Worry is the state of being anxious and troubled over actual or potential problems. It’s really just the result of focusing on the negative around you, or worse: the potential negative (nothing bad has actually happened, but you’re thinking about everything that could potentially go wrong). On a number of occasions Scripture tells us not to worry or be anxious – because God knows that worry is a poison to your soul which will affect your emotions, finances, relationships and all of life. The reason we don’t have to worry about anything is because we can speak to God about our concerns (pray). He is our loving heavenly Father who wants to look after us. This verse in Philippians says that we should ask God for whatever we need while giving thanks for what we have. This helps you not to focus on the lack but on the limitless supply that we have in Christ. Even though there are legitimate needs in your life, you do not need to get down in the dumps about it. If you focus on giving thanks for what you have, it will help you to be content with what you have, and it will help you to live in joy while you wait for the manifestation of the provision for your need. We’re told to “rejoice in the Lord always” (Philippians 4:4) and we can’t rejoice if we’re focused on lack and are worrying. If we want to rejoice, then we need to cast our cares on the Lord and focus on what we already have, and what we have in Christ.

“Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.”
1 Peter 5:7 KJV

There are always reasons to worry – but you don’t have to. Choose not to focus on the reasons to worry, and choose to focus on the reasons to rejoice. If you think about it, the reasons to worry are only temporal and subject to change. But the reasons to rejoice in the Lord are eternal and will never change. So give your cares to the Lord because He cares for you and He wants to care for you. It’s God’s responsibility to carry your care, not yours. If you don’t let Him care for you, it’s pride. But it’s humility to let God do His job in caring for you. When you worry, you’re not trusting God – plain and simple. You cannot worry and trust God at the same time. Worry is an indication that you are not in faith. You’re not in faith because you’re more focused on the circumstances than you are on the Word.

“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
Romans 10:17 KJV

Faith comes through hearing and focusing on the Word; so strengthen your faith by focusing on the promises of God in His Word. On the flip side, fear and worry come by hearing the word of the world – by focusing on the negative reports around us. It will produce fear, worry and anxiety, and it will negate your faith and paralyze you. Starve unbelief, fear and worry by focusing on God’s promises in the Word.

“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:7 KJV

Peace doesn’t happen by accident. Joy doesn’t happen by accident. They are natural by-products (or results) of your focus. When you consciously give your cares to the Lord and choose to focus on Jesus and His Word, you will experience supernatural peace and joy – even if it makes no sense to have peace or joy at all.