A Prayer for the Worrier

I am a worrier. There is low-grade anxiety running through me constantly. Typically, when I’m confronted with worry, I focus on behavior modification by reading a book, listening to a podcast, ordering an online course, or trying harder. My to-do list seems easier to conquer than my uncooperative, unpredictable and unsteady heart.

So when I sense myself trying harder in the face of worry, I remember that worrying isn’t the answer—prayer is. If you’re a worrier too, here is a prayer to help you trade in worry for trust.

Dear Father God,

You are holy, good, and gentle. You are kind to me. You know my flaws, my strengths, and the number of hairs on my head. You’re not surprised by the words of my mouth or the meditations of my heart. So I confess this today:

I believe that there is only one right way to parent, to lead my team, to meal-plan, to take care of myself and my house, or make the sale. And if I don’t choose the right way today, I am completely messing up my tomorrow. As if Your world isn’t full of amazing possibilities and adventures. As if You created only options A and B, when really You are so generous and creative that You give me solutions, ideas and plans far beyond what I could think up on my own.

I believe that I’m not doing enough, that more is better, and that I need to add tasks to my calendar and checklist to get ahead. And if I don’t get it together today, my tomorrow may as well fall apart. As if a busy schedule is the solution to all my parenting, leadership, and workplace needs. Daddy, I forget that You ask me to forsake my plans for Yours, that You call me to sit and rest with You and that You are a Father and not a taskmaster.

I fall into the trap of thinking that outcomes fall solely on me and my efforts. As if there is no one else in the picture, including You. Daddy, I forget that there is grace and that Your will is sovereign.

I believe the lie that a good life depends on my perfect performance. And if I dare to make mistakes today, the future I have in mind will never happen. As if I can carry the weight of the future all by myself. Daddy, I forget that I’m not responsible for transformation and results, but You are over all things.

I believe that if I could just figure it out by asking the right questions, memorizing the right verses, attending the right conferences, or having the right assistant, that all the things would come together. As if, in doing the right thing, I am guaranteed the desired outcome. Daddy, I forget that You ask me to be rooted and grounded in love and faith, not checklists and contracts.

Daddy, the bottom line is that I put too much focus on myself. I carry too much weight. I hold on too tightly, manipulate circumstances, build expectations, grasp control, and escalate my worrying so that the future is safe and secure for my kids, my work, and my leadership.

As I head into the new year and look to the future, remind me of Your truth.

I stake my claim now that worry has no part of my life. I am in Your hand and nothing can shake me out of it. Your love is so wide, long, high and deep that not even my pock-marked past, not my unknown future, not even death or the worries of this life will ever separate You and I.

You say that peace and hope and joy are my inheritance. I believe you. I may not see it or feel it, but peace is what you offer. Your gift to me is peace and I will stand on this truth that is larger than my worry.

You are generous and creative. You call me to sit and rest with You. You are both gracious and sovereign. You alone are responsible for transformation and new creation. You are rooted and grounded in love. You are bigger than any worry I face.

And Daddy, You are the Redeemer of both my soul and my days. So even if I mess it all up today, that mess isn’t so big that You can’t turn it around for good tomorrow. Help me to remember that beauty is made from ashes not perfection.

You go ahead of me. You hold my hand as you walk next to me. You hem me in from behind.

You are surprised by nothing. Overwhelmed by nothing. Overcomer of everything. In You, through You, and for You all things hold together.

You sustain every part of me: my life, my health, my work, my kids, my marriage, my hopes, and my uncooperative, unpredictable and unsteady heart.

Thank you Daddy. I love you. Amen.

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