Bestselling Christian author Renee Swope is encouraging people to obtain peace by following these simple steps from the Bible: Stop worrying, start praying, then keep thanking God.
She wrote on her blog that whenever life gets overwhelming, people tend to worry and are tempted to quit. When she went through a "melting point" herself a few years ago, her husband told her to write down everything that was worrying her so she could ask God what needed to be cut back.
"I listed my commitments and concerns, deadlines and dates on my calendar with every appointment, event, conference call and meeting I could think of for the next six months," she said. "And I prayed: Please God, show me where I need to make changes."
Swope expected that the Holy Spirit would suggest adjustments that needed to be made in her schedule, but it did not happen. "God didn't tell me to make cut backs at work or in ministry. He didn't show me our family had too many activities. He didn't challenge me to take a sabbatical, although I was hoping He would," she shared.
What Jesus showed her was that it was actually worry and not her workload that was making her weary. Without realising it, she was spending as much time thinking and worrying about things, as she was working on them.
"It was not only how I spent my time, but how I spent my thoughts that left me depleted," she said. And it was only when she brought her concerns to God that she had this realisation.
Swope said that this is what the Bible verse 1 Peter 5:7 teaches people: "Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you."
