Prayer Combats Worry

Editor’s Note: In 1964, Margaret Fishback Powers wrote poem called, “Footprints”. It’s become a well-known and widely loved poem that has reminded those who read it and re-read it that the Lord will never, ever leave us in the hardest of times. In fact, if we allow Him, He’s happy to carry the heavy load for us. He’s happy to carry us through it. From Margaret’s poem her new devotional was born. She often reflects on the poem with her husband in their daily time with the Lord. She’s developed short and thoughtful devotions along with deep reflection questions for your personal daily devotional time. There’s even journaling space! Enjoy this sneak preview of Margaret’s devotional, Footprints: An Interactive Journey Through One of the Most Beloved Poems of All Time.

Footprints

One night I dreamed a dream.

I was walking along the beach with my Lord.

Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life.

For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand,

one belonging to me and one to my Lord.

When the last scene of my life shot before me

I looked back at the footprints in the sand and to my surprise,

I noticed that many times along the path of my life

there was only one set of footprints.

I realized that this was at the lowest

and saddest times of my life.

This always bothered me

and I questioned the Lord about my dilemma.

“Lord, You told me when I decided to follow You,

You would walk and talk with me all the way.

But I’m aware that during the most troublesome

times of my life there is only one set of footprints.

I just don’t understand why, when I needed You most,

You leave me.”

He whispered, “My precious child,

I love you and will never leave you

never, ever, during your trials and testings.

When you saw only one set of footprints

it was then that I carried you.”

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God is With Us in Our Worry

Fretting and a kitchen blender have a lot in common.

With the push of a button the contents of a blender are whirled and swirled until they become a frothy mixture. In our lives, worry gnaws away at us until our lives become a churned jumble. But God doesn’t want us to live “blender-ized” lives.

Fretting easily leads to worry; worry casts a big shadow over small problems — a shadow that should never cross our lives.

When the outlook is not good, we should not fret. We need a change of perspective to realize that God sees tomorrow more clearly than we see yesterday. The future is completely in His hands!

Don’t fret! Cheer up! Neither the sun, nor the Son, has gone out of business. He is with us. A new day will dawn and the Lord will bring Himself to the center of our problems.

Remember, worry will only tie us in knots. Prayer is the only way to cut short our fretting — to cut those knots of worry and care and grant us God’s peace instead.

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

Excerpted with permission from Footprints by Margaret Fishback Powers, copyright Margaret Fishback Powers.

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Your Turn

How can fretting lead to worry? What does Jesus say about the consequences of worrying in Matthew 6:27-30? Make a list of your worries and give them to the Lord. Come share on our blog!