Thank you! But what is the difference between the two?
Such a good question!
Exactly!
It sounds like perhaps the Lord is giving you peace and you are realizing that you are not worrying. Don't worry about not worrying. 
And, don't let our enemy steal your joy and peace in the Lord.
Thank you for answering. I can let go of concern and worry and that does not make me heartless. I need to remember that God is in control and not worry or be concerned. Thank you!For me, when a concern or worry keeps coming to mind, where I used to let them take over my mind I now take them to God....as often as I need to, knowing that He's listening and desires for me to come to Him with my concerns and worries.
There are times where I feel a sense of the need for continual prayers over something, usually with sudden issues or long term issues and when something persistently comes to mind out of the blue (I think that God prompts His loved ones to pray).
Then there are times where I realize I'm just ruminating and that's when I pray for God's help again (for the problem and also not to unnecessarily despair) and also thank Him for what He's done in the past for me and thank God for what He's going to do in whatever situation that needs resolving. Earlier in my walk with God there had been a lot of anxiousness and hand wringing along with prayers. Now, I've learned to stand on His faithfulness and His Word, to remind myself of these things and rest in His care.
So, if I've already prayed, but realize that I'm worrying and ruminating, I'll stop and quickly pray something like: "God, thank you that you are taking care of this, unless you are wanting me to continue in prayer, can you help me to put this out of my mind for now?"
It is true that God tells us not to worry. To me worrying is a hopeless distraught over something that one forgets that God can handle. However, there are things in life that bring us to great concern and even grief. In Ezekiel we see that God looks favorably on those who are concerned and grieved over ungodliness around us:
He said to him, “Walk through the streets of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of all who weep and sigh because of the detestable sins being committed in their city.” Ezekiel 9:4
In the New Testament Jesus gives instruction on how to deal with concerns, reminding us that we can go to God over and over with those concerns. When I start worrying I like using worry as a prompt and stepping stone to pray and seek God for His help. I think that is a great way to utilize the tendency to worry. One can use worry as an alert to remember to change responses from ruminating to praying.
Jesus encourages us to seek God persistently in prayer over our concerns, encouraging us that God wants to hear about those concerns and worries. What an ungodly man would consider pestering, Jesus tells us the Father welcomes and to not be discouraged and always come to Him in prayer-:
He then told them a parable on the need for them to pray always and not become discouraged: “There was a judge in a certain town who didn’t fear God or respect man. And a widow in that town kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’
“For a while he was unwilling, but later he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or respect man, yet because this widow keeps pestering me, I will give her justice, so she doesn’t wear me out by her persistent coming.’”
Then the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. Will not God grant justice to His elect who cry out to Him day and night? Will He delay to help them? I tell you that He will swiftly grant them justice..... Luke 18:1-8
He also said to them: “Suppose one of you has a friend and goes to him at midnight and says to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I don’t have anything to offer him. Then he will answer from inside and say, ‘Don’t bother me! The door is already locked, and my children and I have gone to bed. I can’t get up to give you anything.’ I tell you, even though he won’t get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his friend’s persistence, he will get up and give him as much as he needs.
“So I say to you, keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who searches finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?” Luke 11:5-13
Of course you have compassion, otherwise you wouldn't be praying in the first place.
You mentioned Psalms. If you notice, David does bring up certain themes over and over again throughout his prayers to God. Over and over he's asking for protection, dealing with his enemies, forgiveness, guidance, etc. David also seemed to seek God with strong emotions and great urgency...that's not worry, that's completely laying things out to God, sometimes with raw need.
One can see that King David also had lots on his mind, but we have the privilege to see the example he sets in taking those things to God in prayer as often as he needs. In the midst of those prayers is David's confidence in the Lord that He will handle the issues. I think that's part of our joy in the Lord, we have that peace that there's a powerful God who can work where we can't. We may not know how He will work, but we know that He does. And....we can also see King Davids joy and thankfulness as God answered prayers for him
This is an excellent post EL.For me, when a concern or worry keeps coming to mind, where I used to let them take over my mind I now take them to God....as often as I need to, knowing that He's listening and desires for me to come to Him with my concerns and worries.
There are times where I feel a sense of the need for continual prayers over something, usually with sudden issues or long term issues and when something persistently comes to mind out of the blue (I think that God prompts His loved ones to pray).
Then there are times where I realize I'm just ruminating and that's when I pray for God's help again (for the problem and also not to unnecessarily despair) and also thank Him for what He's done in the past for me and thank God for what He's going to do in whatever situation that needs resolving. Earlier in my walk with God there had been a lot of anxiousness and hand wringing along with prayers. Now, I've learned to stand on His faithfulness and His Word, to remind myself of these things and rest in His care.
So, if I've already prayed, but realize that I'm worrying and ruminating, I'll stop and quickly pray something like: "God, thank you that you are taking care of this, unless you are wanting me to continue in prayer, can you help me to put this out of my mind for now?"
It is true that God tells us not to worry. To me worrying is a hopeless distraught over something that one forgets that God can handle. However, there are things in life that bring us to great concern and even grief. In Ezekiel we see that God looks favorably on those who are concerned and grieved over ungodliness around us:
He said to him, “Walk through the streets of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of all who weep and sigh because of the detestable sins being committed in their city.” Ezekiel 9:4
In the New Testament Jesus gives instruction on how to deal with concerns, reminding us that we can go to God over and over with those concerns. When I start worrying I like using worry as a prompt and stepping stone to pray and seek God for His help. I think that is a great way to utilize the tendency to worry. One can use worry as an alert to remember to change responses from ruminating to praying.
Jesus encourages us to seek God persistently in prayer over our concerns, encouraging us that God wants to hear about those concerns and worries. What an ungodly man would consider pestering, Jesus tells us the Father welcomes and to not be discouraged and always come to Him in prayer-:
He then told them a parable on the need for them to pray always and not become discouraged: “There was a judge in a certain town who didn’t fear God or respect man. And a widow in that town kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’
“For a while he was unwilling, but later he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or respect man, yet because this widow keeps pestering me, I will give her justice, so she doesn’t wear me out by her persistent coming.’”
Then the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. Will not God grant justice to His elect who cry out to Him day and night? Will He delay to help them? I tell you that He will swiftly grant them justice..... Luke 18:1-8
He also said to them: “Suppose one of you has a friend and goes to him at midnight and says to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I don’t have anything to offer him. Then he will answer from inside and say, ‘Don’t bother me! The door is already locked, and my children and I have gone to bed. I can’t get up to give you anything.’ I tell you, even though he won’t get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his friend’s persistence, he will get up and give him as much as he needs.
“So I say to you, keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who searches finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?” Luke 11:5-13
Of course you have compassion, otherwise you wouldn't be praying in the first place.
You mentioned Psalms. If you notice, David does bring up certain themes over and over again throughout his prayers to God. Over and over he's asking for protection, dealing with his enemies, forgiveness, guidance, etc. David also seemed to seek God with strong emotions and great urgency...that's not worry, that's completely laying things out to God, sometimes with raw need.
One can see that King David also had lots on his mind, but we have the privilege to see the example he sets in taking those things to God in prayer as often as he needs. In the midst of those prayers is David's confidence in the Lord that He will handle the issues. I think that's part of our joy in the Lord, we have that peace that there's a powerful God who can work where we can't. We may not know how He will work, but we know that He does. And....we can also see King Davids joy and thankfulness as God answered prayers for him
Thank you for taking the time to write it.
This is an excellent post EL.
As one who once held a PhD in the worry dept., God, through His Word has really helped in freeing me from worry and to enjoy not worrying but instead having assurance.
You can't make your mind "stop" thinking certain thoughts, but it does work to "replace" them with other purposeful thoughts, like Scripture! The Bible tells us to do this, which means it is indeed possible.
For me, when a concern or worry keeps coming to mind, where I used to let them take over my mind I now take them to God....as often as I need to, knowing that He's listening and desires for me to come to Him with my concerns and worries.
There are times where I feel a sense of the need for continual prayers over something, usually with sudden issues or long term issues and when something persistently comes to mind out of the blue (I think that God prompts His loved ones to pray).
Then there are times where I realize I'm just ruminating and that's when I pray for God's help again (for the problem and also not to unnecessarily despair) and also thank Him for what He's done in the past for me and thank God for what He's going to do in whatever situation that needs resolving. Earlier in my walk with God there had been a lot of anxiousness and hand wringing along with prayers. Now, I've learned to stand on His faithfulness and His Word, to remind myself of these things and rest in His care.
So, if I've already prayed, but realize that I'm worrying and ruminating, I'll stop and quickly pray something like: "God, thank you that you are taking care of this, unless you are wanting me to continue in prayer, can you help me to put this out of my mind for now?"
It is true that God tells us not to worry. To me worrying is a hopeless distraught over something that one forgets that God can handle. However, there are things in life that bring us to great concern and even grief. In Ezekiel we see that God looks favorably on those who are concerned and grieved over ungodliness around us:
He said to him, “Walk through the streets of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of all who weep and sigh because of the detestable sins being committed in their city.” Ezekiel 9:4
In the New Testament Jesus gives instruction on how to deal with concerns, reminding us that we can go to God over and over with those concerns. When I start worrying I like using worry as a prompt and stepping stone to pray and seek God for His help. I think that is a great way to utilize the tendency to worry. One can use worry as an alert to remember to change responses from ruminating to praying.
Jesus encourages us to seek God persistently in prayer over our concerns, encouraging us that God wants to hear about those concerns and worries. What an ungodly man would consider pestering, Jesus tells us the Father welcomes and to not be discouraged and always come to Him in prayer-:
He then told them a parable on the need for them to pray always and not become discouraged: “There was a judge in a certain town who didn’t fear God or respect man. And a widow in that town kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’
“For a while he was unwilling, but later he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or respect man, yet because this widow keeps pestering me, I will give her justice, so she doesn’t wear me out by her persistent coming.’”
Then the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. Will not God grant justice to His elect who cry out to Him day and night? Will He delay to help them? I tell you that He will swiftly grant them justice..... Luke 18:1-8
He also said to them: “Suppose one of you has a friend and goes to him at midnight and says to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I don’t have anything to offer him. Then he will answer from inside and say, ‘Don’t bother me! The door is already locked, and my children and I have gone to bed. I can’t get up to give you anything.’ I tell you, even though he won’t get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his friend’s persistence, he will get up and give him as much as he needs.
“So I say to you, keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who searches finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?” Luke 11:5-13
Of course you have compassion, otherwise you wouldn't be praying in the first place.
You mentioned Psalms. If you notice, David does bring up certain themes over and over again throughout his prayers to God. Over and over he's asking for protection, dealing with his enemies, forgiveness, guidance, etc. David also seemed to seek God with strong emotions and great urgency...that's not worry, that's completely laying things out to God, sometimes with raw need.
One can see that King David also had lots on his mind, but we have the privilege to see the example he sets in taking those things to God in prayer as often as he needs. In the midst of those prayers is David's confidence in the Lord that He will handle the issues. I think that's part of our joy in the Lord, we have that peace that there's a powerful God who can work where we can't. We may not know how He will work, but we know that He does. And....we can also see King Davids joy and thankfulness as God answered prayers for him
Thank you...thank you all who responded....I needed to hear....I go into the "what if" mode....your posts will help me....thanks again