Prayer Works Better Than Worry
My daily devotions have been remarkably persistent lately. Trust God. Don't complain. Believe when things seem impossible. You know what that means, right? A test was coming!
Saturday was our annual community-wide family fun day, our biggest outreach event of the year. Picture bouncy houses, obstacle courses, carnival games, and excited children everywhere. It takes an army of volunteers to run each station smoothly.
As the coordinator, I'd been struggling with the volunteer roster. We were already at least two people short, forcing me to consider doubling up some staff. Several potential helpers responded with those dreaded words: "I might be able to help, but I can't commit."
The anxiety was building as the day approached. Then Friday evening, the phone rang. One of our core volunteers had a family crisis and needed to bow out. Completely understandable, but my heart sank. I took a deep breath, committed everything to God (again), and told myself I absolutely would not panic.
Then Saturday morning, we received another call. Another volunteer was coming down with a cold and couldn't make it. We were already short-handed, and now we were critically understaffed. As if that weren't enough, after weeks of sunshine, the skies were threatening rain. And then, a power outage. Seriously? How are we supposed to host an event during a downpour and a power outage!!!
At this point, I was fighting full-blown panic. But something in those devotion times must have taken root. Instead of my usual fretting and frantic reworking, I prayed. And prayed. And prayed some more.
You know what happened? The power came back on. The rain held. And people showed up! Some we'd never even asked appeared at just the right moment, asking, "How can I help?" By the time we opened the doors, we had enough volunteers to run every station. The day was a tremendous success, with countless families from our community experiencing our chapel's love and hospitality.
The entire experience reminded me of Philippians 4:6-7: "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
How many hours have I wasted worrying when I could have been praying? How many stomach aches and sleepless nights could I have avoided if I'd simply taken my concerns to the Lord first instead of last?
Prayer works far better than worry, not just because it produces results (though it certainly did in this case), but because it produces peace. Even if God hadn't sent those extra volunteers, the peace I felt after surrendering it all to Him was worth the practice.
Perhaps you're facing your own impossible situation today. The math doesn't add up. The resources seem inadequate. The need feels overwhelming. May I suggest setting aside your calculator and picking up a prayer instead? God specializes in making a way where there seems to be no way.
The math of heaven often defies our earthly calculations. Five loaves and two fishes shouldn't feed thousands. Twelve ordinary men shouldn't change the world. And a small chapel in rural Wales shouldn't be able to host a community-wide event with inadequate volunteers, but our God specializes in the impossible.
Prayer works better than worry. Every single time.