“Do whatever he tells you.” (John 2:5)

Jesus wants to help us with our problems, but He still expects us to do what we can. The servers at the wedding in Cana followed the instructions of the Blessed Mother (above) and obeyed Jesus when He asked them to fill up the jugs with water. As a result, they got to participate in the miraculous transformation of water into wine.

Here’s what I wrote in Give Up Worry For Good…

God wants to help us with our daily struggles, but he also expects us to do what we can. While it’s true that he provides for the birds, they still have to look for the food. We should follow their example. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: do your best and let God do the rest.

Beginning tomorrow, we’ll spend a week focusing on the fact that following Jesus won’t make us immune from trials and difficulties. What it will do, however, is give us strength to withstand any storm that comes our way.

Let not your heart be troubled!

~Gary

But [Jesus] withdrew to the wilderness and prayed. (Luke 5:16)

While it’s true that prayer can involve requesting what we need from God, it’s so much more. Jesus spent time in prayer because He loved His Father and wanted to communicate with Him and spend time in His presence. That’s what personal relationships are all about.

Here’s what I wrote in Give Up Worry For Good…

The fact that Jesus withdrew implies that it was a conscious decision. His desire to pray was not accidental. Just like each of us, the Lord had to make a choice—to pray or to do something else. How many times do you struggle to fit prayer into your busy life? After all, there are just so many hours in the day. It took me many years to get to this point, but now I wouldn’t think of letting a day go by without praying. It’s how I begin each day, whether I feel like it or not. Jesus knew that prayer was not so much an action but a relationship.

Let not your heart be troubled!

~Gary

Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. (Romans 12:12)

Rejoice? Be patient? For someone like me, who loves comfort and wants to be in control, it’s easier said than done. Fortunately, for me and anyone like me, Paul ends this verse with some very good news. 

Here’s what I wrote in Give Up Worry For Good…

So what’s the secret to becoming more joyful and patient? The key that unlocks this entire verse is found at the end of the sentence: don’t stop praying! If you want become more joyful and patient, it’s extremely difficult to do on your own. Why not ask God for help? While any kind of prayer will bring you closer to the Lord, praying to overcome a specific weakness is a great idea.

As I mention in the book, joy and patience are fruits of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, asking the Spirit to come alive and produce more good fruit would be a very good idea. I plan to do that today. Will you join me?

I have learned, in whatever state I am, to be content. (Philippians 4:11)

There are definitely times when we shouldn’t be content. For example, none of us should be content to live as worriers. God doesn’t want that and neither should we. On the other hand, learning to be content with the unavoidable inconveniences of life is a must if we want to live at peace.

Here’s what I wrote in Give Up Worry For Good…

I don’t like fasting, especially from food. The mere mention of the word makes me shudder. Unfortunately, there’s no getting around this traditional Catholic spiritual discipline. Without practicing some form of fasting, our spiritual growth will be limited. We may not realize it, but material comfort often keeps us from growing closer to Jesus. Choosing to forego some of these earthly pleasures and focus on our relationship with the Lord will enable us to understand what St. Paul means when he speaks of contentment.

A careful reading of Paul’s words reveals that his ability to be content wasn’t automatic, but something he had to learn. How can we learn to be content? It begins with being grateful for what we have. For that reason, I make it a habit to start my prayers by thanking God for what He has given me – a new day, hot and cold running water, electricity, my relationship with Him, etc. I had to force myself to do this in the beginning, but it’s gotten easier and my list of blessings has grown longer.

If you’re up for a challenge, you also might want to try fasting from something. It doesn’t have to be anything large or painful. Skipping the cream in your coffee or trading some Internet time for prayer will go a long way. In addition to giving us an opportunity to offer up our suffering, fasting from material things allows us to tell the Lord that He is enough for us. And, as Paul understood better than most, that’s the main reason for being content at all times.

Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in. (Psalm 24:7)

Even though Jesus is infinitely powerful, He will never force you to act against your will. As a result, the decision to let Him help you with your problems rests with you. Amazing, isn’t it?

Here’s what I wrote in Give Up Worry For Good…

The decision to open the door is one that only you can make. Although he wants to be a part of your life, Jesus will not force open the door. Make no mistake about it, however: he will knock and knock again. Before you wonder why he never seems to knock on your door, let me pass along one other piece of information. It is especially important if you’re a worrier. Every time you are afraid, Jesus is knocking on your door.

What is frightening you today? That is Jesus knocking on your door. Will you let Him in?

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)

If you want to give up worrying, the best thing you can do is accept Jesus’ offer and come to Him. It sounds so simple, but it can be extremely difficult. Why? Mainly because you can’t see Him as clearly as you can see the world around you. Furthermore, you can’t feel Him as much as you can feel the fear caused by your problem. In short, Jesus just doesn’t seem real enough.

Here’s what I wrote in Give Up Worry For Good…

Jesus wants to get involved in your life, but you need to do something first. Read and reread his invitation. There are no caveats or qualifications, but you still have to do something: come to him. If you do that, you will find rest. Period. Are you willing to give it a try?

How do we get past the fact that we can’t see or feel Jesus? The best advice I have is to ignore your feelings, approach Him (glancing at an image of Him may help) and tell Him what’s on your mind. Let Him know what’s bothering you. The more you do it, the more real He will become and you’ll begin to experience the peace that only He can give.

Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. (John 2:7)

This may sound a little odd, but giving up worry is a joint effort between you and God. He could fix your problems and eliminate your worries by Himself, but He chooses not to. Even though He doesn’t need our help, He still wants us to be involved in the process.

Here’s what I wrote in Give Up Worry For Good…

Even though he doesn’t need to do so, God chooses to let us play a role in dealing with our daily problems. While he could easily handle things on his own, he has made the decision to involve us in the process. As can be seen at the wedding in Cana, however, there is an important catch. The Lord is the boss. He is in charge of the operation. You are not. As long as you keep that in mind, everything will work out. At the wedding, Mary didn’t try to tell Jesus what to do and neither did the servants. Rather, they followed his directions.

So how do we know what we’re supposed to do and what God is supposed to do? When is it time to “let go and let God”? As a general rule, I recommend that you do what you can. If there’s something you can do to fix your problem, do it. More often than not, it’s something very little. That’s okay. Just like He did at Cana, the Lord can work with you and produce a miracle.

If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! (Matthew 7:11)

All this week we’ve been focusing on the importance of asking God to help us with our problems. It’s an important lesson and one we must learn if we want to be at peace. Before moving on, I encourage you to spend some time today looking at this week’s meditations. 

Here’s what I wrote in Give Up Worry For Good…

Jesus told us to ask our Father for what we need. Yet so much of our anxiety stems from failing to follow his instructions. As you ponder this week’s reflections, I invite you to consider all the benefits that result from asking God for help. The evidence is clear. If you ask, you will receive. Are you willing to give it a try?

While it’s true that God does wants us to ask for help with our daily struggles, He still wants us to do what we can. Beginning tomorrow we’ll spend a week looking at the role we play in addressing our problems. As someone who likes to be in control, that idea sounds good to me. I think you’ll enjoy it too.

Let not your heart be troubled!

~Gary

So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words. (Matthew 26:44)

Yesterday, we looked at the advice of St. Paul who instructed us to offer our concerns to God instead of worrying about them. Sounds simple, but what should we do when our prayer doesn’t get answered right away?

Here’s what I wrote in Give Up Worry For Good…

You may wonder when it’s time to stop praying for a particular intention. Jesus prayed three times using the same words. St. Paul also asked the Lord three times (see 2 Corinthians 12:8) to take away his thorn in the flesh. Is three the magic number? While these are definitely two great examples for us to imitate, there is something they have in common that has nothing to do with the number. Both Jesus and Paul prayed until they got an answer. Paul received a “no” and the promise of grace, while Jesus was sent an angel (see Luke 22:43) to strengthen him. Unless the Holy Spirit tells us otherwise (we realize that what we’re praying for isn’t good for us), we should continue to pray until the Lord responds with a definitive yes or no.

Don’t allow yourself to become discouraged when your prayers aren’t answered right away. Keep praying. God has a plan and will answer in the best way at the right time.

Let not your heart be troubled!

~Gary

Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6–7) 

This is some of the best advice you will ever encounter. Essentially, Paul is instructing us to respond to the struggles of life by praying instead of worrying. Doing so, he writes, will bring us the peace we seek. 

Here’s what I wrote in Give Up Worry For Good… 

Paul wrote these words while chained to a Roman guard, under house arrest. The fact that he could be at peace under those circumstances should give you hope. If he could be peaceful, so can you. The peace offered by Christ isn’t dependent on the absence of conflict. To be honest, great suffering often intensifies the peace offered by the Lord. I know it sounds like a paradox, but it is true. I’ve been there, and I know that Paul’s advice works. As the old adage goes, “You’ll never know until you try.” Do it today. The only thing you have to lose is your anxiety.

This concept of praying instead of worrying may be simple to understand, but not always easy to put into practice. That’s why we’re working on it every day for eight weeks. I can tell you from personal experience that the more you do it, the easier it gets. If you’re worried about something today, give it a try. We’ll talk more about it tomorrow.