Where My Soul Finds Rest

On Sunday we were looking at worry from Matthew 6: 25-34. A number of people seemed to find the closing section helpful. Below is a graphic of how we encouraged to process worry (we talked about the need for a Biblical game plan) and some rough notes to summarise how to approach each stage. The audio of the message is available here.

Spend time with God: Ps. 86: 7-8 In the day of my trouble I call upon U, 4 U answer me. There is none like U among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours.
Go to Him with one main item on the agenda. Don’t make it about what is worrying you. Do make it about worshipping Him. Open your Bible and look, turn on some worship music and listen to worship music that will expand your view of God.
Tell Him what your burden is: Do not be anxious about anything: let your requests be made known to God. (Phil 4:6) Spending time dwelling upon the greatness of God is designed to prepare your heart to go to God. So don’t be anxious about anything/don’t keep anything back. Scots as nation of bottlers… we bottle things up… back 2 control freakery. Let what is on your heart be made known to God.
Remember God’s strength: Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 1 Pt 5: 6-7 Humble= stop trying to do it all by yourself. Mighty= He is so you don’t need to be. Cast all= who does God want to carry your burden
He cares for u= I looked up the word care in the original language. It means He cares about you… nothing more complicated or confusing than that… so stop getting confused and complicating things by letting your pride mean you don’t hand things over to God for Him to deal with. He is God… u r not God… it is good to get that clear.
Escape the weight: Prov. 12: 25 Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad. Isn’t that the picture: weighing down? Find people who will listen to you & speak a good word to you. Easy to surround ourselves with people who just listen (sometimes we need that). But we need people who will point us to God/open His word with us so that we get our heads out of our anxieties & get our hearts fixed upon His promises. The way to escape the weight is to have our ear open to encouragement. Don’t hide away, ask for help.
Sleep in trust: Ps 127: 1-2 Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early & go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep. Waking up early worrying… lying in bed/not going to bed because ur heart is so burdened by anxiety. Lack of sleep only serves to increase stress so it becomes a vicious circle. Have you been there? It’s in vain. 'Anxiety does not empty 2morrow of it sorrows, bt only empties 2day of its strength.' Spurgeon
God gives to His beloved sleep by reminding us that He watches over us. You do not have a God who loses concentration/suffers from inattentiveness. He has got you & He is for you and He says to you… I love this… get some sleep, my love never ceases, my mercies are new every morning & so is my faithfulness (Lam. 3: 22-23 for free)
Something better is at work: John 14: 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. 
He gives us peace: not on loan but as a measure of His love. Big difference- the stuff that the world gives leave us vulnerable to worry. Jesus says look at me, let faith replace fear, let worship challenge your worry, let me my peace overwhelm your panic, when you feel out of control remember that God is constant and that He cares for you.