Inviting God Into Your Worry

Overflow with Craig Booker

Note: A lot of the material is inspired by Louie Giglio's book. Each week, I take concepts from Winning the War on Worry and apply them to brain health.

"Knowing who worry is (a liar) and what worry is made of (its anatomy-rooted in fear), we can know our Enemy and his tactics. " [1]

"And knowing our Enemy is essential to being able to fight well." [1]

"If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle." [2]

"As we continue this journey to become more equipped to win the war on worry, we know our Enemy: his sole purpose is to take us down and steal our joy (John 10:10)."

"We also need to know ourselves; and most importantly, we need to know our God. Because here's the reality: if we don't know God, we won't be able or willing to invite Him into our worry." [1]

"That's a big problem, because the act of inviting God into our worry is one of the most crucial strategies of winning this war." [1]

Going On the Offensive

"It's not enough to call worry out or to break it down and study it. If we want to win this battle, we need to strap on our armor and get ready to go on the offensive." [1]

Our first move

To surrender our concerns to God in prayer.

"Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done" Philippians 4:6 NLT

"...Paul wasn't just saying "don't worry." He was giving you an additional offensive step to take. He was encouraging you to invite God into your worry by telling Him everything that's concerning you." [1]

"The word worry in this verse means 'to rip into pieces.' It's the same for the word anxiety in Scripture. Anxiety and worry tear our minds and hearts apart. That's why we have the phrase, 'I was worried to pieces.' Worry turns our peace into pieces." [1]

"God wants us to bring every little piece to Him. That's the first step in how God brings us peace." [1]

Just like Adam and Eve in the garden, our first response when we miss the mark is to hide or run from God.

"We run from God when we need to be running to Him." [1]

1. Don't try and fix worry on your own.

You might be stuck in worry and feel like there's no way out. [1]

2. Don't hide from God.

You might feel ashamed and embarrassed that you cannot do better. You might feel like a failure. [1]

So what should we do?

• Call out to Him.
• Invite God into the anxiety and worry through prayer.
• Tell God what you need and thank Him for all He's done.

When you do this, God is in the middle of your worry with you.

Abiding In The Vine

"We counter anxiety by abiding." [1]

What does it mean to abide?

To abide is to remain or to dwell.

"To stay in a constant posture of surrender and dependency, not on your own strength and four own power but on the character and nature of God." [1]

"I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing" John 15:5 NLT

"We are the branches. Jesus is the Vine. That means that He's the source of life. Of nutrients of richness and vitality. He is our Source. We are the receivers." [1]

"As branches, our job is to remain. We are to stay connected to the Vine; and when we do, we bear much fruit." [1]

"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." Galatians 5:22-23 ESV

"When we invite God into our worry, we surrender or offboard our need for control and we onboard His call to dwell and abide in Him. And the next thing we know, we're bearing fruit. Were blossoming with patience, love, and peace." [1]

"For most of us, the primary reason we fall short on abiding and dwelling with God isn't because we're not spiritual enough or because we don't understand the concept." [1]

Most of us fall short of abiding and dwelling because we are easily distracted.

"The thing with abiding is that it takes time. Just as it's hard to pour water into a shaky cup, it's difficult for the peace of God to flow into a heart that's in constant motion. When we quiet ourselves and sit before Him - really sit and create space to surrender our fears, our anxieties, our bur dens to Him--then we abide." [1]

"...when we spend time with Jesus, when we read His Word and meditate on His truth and His life, we begin to unlock something in our souls." [1]

Practical Exercise

"We start by breathing out the lies that cause us to feel anxious or stressed. Next, we need to fill that space with something good, something true. As we breathe in, we claim a promise of God." [1]

• "Breathe out, 'I'm abandoned.' Breathe in, 'God is in me.'" [1]
• "Breathe out, 'My enemies are against me?' Breathe in, 'God is for me." [1]
• "Breathe out, 'I am weak.' Breathe in, 'God is bigger than me.'" [1]
• "Breathe out, 'I am lacking?' Breathe in, 'God is enough for me.'" [1]
• "Breathe out, 'I am forgotten.' Breathe in, 'God is faithful to me.'" [1]

"We're trained to identify problems and to come up with fixes that will get us through, get us over, or get us around the issue. But that's not the answer to our war on worry." [1]

"When it comes to our war, we don't need a solution We need a Savior." [1]

Discussion

1. "Take two minutes, shut down your phone, sit in the quiet, and focus on your breathing. Breathe in deeply through your nose and out through your mouth. Make a note of how you feel." [1]

2. "Galatians 5 compares the fruit of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit. Read over those Scriptures and reflect. Which of those fruit are currently most evident in your life?" [1]

3. "God wants to hear about what concerns you. What holds you back from going to God with the big and small things that weigh you down?" [1]

4. "The Scriptures often describe God as a place of refuge. What does refuge mean, and why would it be beneficial for you to have a strong and sturdy refuge to run to?" [1]

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Sources:

[1] Giglio, L. (2022). Winning the War On Worry -- Cultivate a Peaceful Heart and a Confident Mind. Thomas Nelson.

[2] Sun Tzu, The Art of War, trans. Lionel Giles (Mineola, NY: Dover, 2002), 51.