Worry, Prayer, Planning

Pastor Mark Beeson wrote about being asked the difference between worry, prayer, and planning. Here are his responses:

First.

Worry hurts you. Prayer inspires you. Planning prepares you.

Second.

Worry is natural. Prayer is supernatural. Planning intertwines the natural (the world as it is) with the supernatural (the world as it could be and should be).

Third.

Worry drains you. Prayer fills you. Planning fulfills you.

Fourth.

Worry isolates you. Prayer connects you. Planning integrates you.

Fifth.

Worry shrinks your vision. Prayer expands your vision. Planning enables your vision to come true.

Sixth.

Worry focuses on limiting circumstances and limited resources. Prayer deliberates the unlimited possibilities of an abundance mindset. Planning considers the path of a solution orientation.

Seventh.

Worry is unattractive. It repels. People aren’t drawn to fearful, worried and negative people. Prayer is inclusive. It embraces. Everyone is invited to pray and experience God’s power and presence in their circumstance. Planning is always best in collaborative community. It engages.

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Philippians 4:6-7 - Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.