Why Should We Pray? Part 3
By Greg Laurie
We pray because it’s what Jesus instructed us to do. We pray because it’s God’s appointed way for us to obtain things from Him. And, thirdly, we pray because it’s the way by which God helps us overcome our anxiety and worry.
Struggles with anxiety have reached a crisis point in our culture. Our media thrive on bad news and dire predictions. So, if you’re paying attention, you can find something to worry about every day concerning your health, your safety, your family, and your finances.
The relentless assault of these troubles and pseudo-troubles can take a toll on our physical, emotional, and spiritual health.
Someone once said, “If your knees are shaking, kneel on them.” That’s a simplification of the apostle Paul’s words in Philippians 4:6–7: “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” (NLT).
That’s not just good spiritual advice; it’s also good practical advice. Worrying doesn’t help anything. It’s a complete waste of time. In fact, the word worry comes from an old English word that means “to strangle” or “to choke.” That’s what worry does. It chokes you. It cuts the air off. There’s no good in it. Someone once said, “Worry is interest paid on troubles that seldom come due.”
One of the things that makes worry and anxiety such formidable foes is that we don’t always know when they’re going to strike. We jolt awake at three in the morning, suddenly panicking over something that had barely registered before.
Instead of allowing that panic to build, try saying a quick prayer. “Lord, there’s nothing I can do about this situation right now. So, I’m giving it to you. This is your problem. I’m going back to sleep. I’ll talk to you when I get up.”
The apostle Peter wrote, “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you” (1 Peter 5:7 NLT). Yes, God is all-knowing and all-powerful. He can see the perfect solution to every problem, and He has the power to implement any strategy, even if it seems impossible. But what makes Him the perfect Ally against worry and anxiety is that He cares about us. And not just in a general “God loves everyone” sense. He knows everything about us and cares about us individually. He wants the very best for us.
So, don’t worry about anything; pray about everything.
Discussion Question: What worries or cares do you need to give to God? Discuss this with believers like you on Harvest Discipleship!
Above devotion (Part 3 of 3) published with permission given by Harvest Ministries.
Read Part 1 here and Part 2 here.
Greg Laurie is the senior pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship with campuses in California and Hawaii. He began his pastoral ministry at the age of 19 by leading a Bible study of 30 people…
…In 2020 and in partnership with Kingdom Story Company, Laurie premiered his first-ever cinematic crusade, A Rush of Hope, viewed by over 2 million people in its opening weekend…
…In February 2023, Kingdom Story Company and Lionsgate released Jesus Revolution, which is the story of Greg and Cathe’s life and the Jesus Movement of the 1960s and ’70s. It stars Kelsey Grammer and Jonathan Roumie and is based on Greg’s book of the same title…
Read Laurie’s complete bio on the Harvest website here: About Greg Laurie (harvest.org)