When In Doubt, Pray: Chase Lenard
Everything I have learned from God in the past few years can be summed up as: Learning how to be content. Life is not a constant state of joy, and neither does God promise this. He promises joy as well as the hardships to come. The hardships of the day-to-day can be tiring and will wear anyone down unless they have a solid foundation. For the longest time, I feared praying for change in my life because I did not want to be disappointed by my return to sin. My procrastination and failure to meet obligations was fueled by a fear of failure. I would not start tasks or seek out any assistance. Worry about things I had left to do would unravel reason. I chose the things I hated and resented the things I knew to be good. I was overcome with worry.
“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” - Matthew 6:34
This verse has been a cornerstone for days when I feel myself being overwhelmed with the tasks. If you were to list out everything you had to do for the rest of your life, it would be nigh inexhaustible, and no matter how much you planned, the next day would likely include something new to add to the list. The windshield cracked, the internet company is charging us extra, there is a staff meeting tomorrow that I forgot about, and my house plants are dying. These are just examples, but you can see how easy it is to get sucked into worry about all the things that go undone. Worries pile up until accomplishing any task can seem hopeless when compared to the mountain of doubts and excuses that intrusive thoughts can bring. We need to see outside of the hole of fear and doubt and return to the word of God. If you are looking for a different perspective or light into a situation where you are clouded with doubt and worry, bring it to the Lord in prayer. People were not meant to carry the load of life and all the hardships we face alone. God has given clear instruction that there is only so much that one can afford to worry over. He even set a precedent for rest when he chose to do so on the seventh day. There are only twenty-four hours in the day. Most of that is spent sleeping and working. How much of the day is spent in worry over the next, and where is the time we make for God?
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 4:6-7
Paul has written out a couple of commands to follow. Do not be anxious. Time and time again, scripture instructs us to bring our worries to the Lord in prayer and petition. We are not to curb our anxieties alone. God does not expect us to fix everything before we decide to come to him with our worries. It can be hard to come with a humble and thankful heart in prayer. In my own pride and fear, I distanced myself from God. Pride produced a fear of disappointment, and I attempted to shoulder the burdens of life on my own rather than to surrender my doubts and worries to God. When I pray, I am confronted by the need I have for the Lord and the understanding that I cannot do this on my own, which I try to do so often. I have written before on the joys of consistent prayer, and I can confidently say that God fulfills his promises. It takes making time and asking him to do the things he says he will do. It can be hard to let go of the things we cling to. It is a strange thought that fear and doubt can become comfortable, but that often becomes the standard many live by. It can be uncomfortable to let go and surrender doubts that we have held onto so long. Through change, worry, stress, anxiety, and whatever else life may throw at you, we should continue to endure, bringing these things to the Lord in prayer. Remind yourselves of the promises of Christ:
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." - Matthew 11:28-30
Bring your worries, dreams, and hopes to the Lord. He is good.
Chase Lenard is a beloved alumni of LA Tech and The Wesley Foundation. He is currently working as an art and art history teacher at a local High School spreading his love of Christ and the arts.