Worry pulls us away from God’s power, but worship draws us to Him. When you’re tempted to worry, choose to praise instead. As you worship in the midst of your fear, His presence will begin to change you!
>> VICTORIA OSTEEN: THE OTHER
DAY, I GOT A PHONE CALL, AND
THE VOICE ON THE OTHER END OF
THE PHONE SAID, “VICTORIA, I
GOT TO TELL YOU SOMETHING,
BUT DON’T WORRY ABOUT WHAT
I’M GOING TO TELL YOU.”
WELL, AUTOMATICALLY, MY WORRY
WAS KICKED IN.
THAT WAS MY FIRST RESPONSE.
I THOUGHT, “OH, MY GOSH, WHAT
DO I HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT?”
YOU SEE, THAT’S WHAT HAPPENS
SOMETIMES.
OUR WORRY AUTOMATICALLY KICKS
IN WITHOUT US EVEN KNOWING
IT.
WE JUST WORRY WHEN A CONCERN
OR A CARE COMES INTO OUR
LIFE.
NOW, THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM
WAS NOT HUGE.
IT WASN’T MONUMENTAL, BUT IT
WAS A PROBLEM ALL THE SAME.
IT WAS SOMETHING THAT NEEDED
TO BE RESOLVED.
SO I HAD TO PUSH PAUSE FOR A
MOMENT AND MAKE A DECISION.
WAS I GOING TO LET THIS
CONCERN OVERTAKE ME, CAUSE MY
MIND TO JUST SPIN OUT OF
CONTROL, FRET, AND WORRY
UNTIL THE PROBLEM HAS
RESOLVED ITSELF?
WAS I GOING TO RUIN MY ENTIRE
DAY BECAUSE OF THIS CONCERN?
OR WAS I GOING TO SAY, “GOD,
YOU GOT TO HELP ME WITH THIS
SITUATION.
GOD, I GOT TO PRESENT THIS TO
YOU.
YOU KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT ME.
YOU SAID YOU’D FIGHT MY
BATTLES FOR ME.
NOW, GOD, I AM GIVING THIS TO
YOU, AND I’M GOING TO TRY TO
REST AND HEAR EVERYTHING YOU
WOULD WANT ME TO HEAR FROM
YOU.”
YOU SEE, WE HAVE TO MAKE THIS
CHOICE.
HOW ARE WE GOING TO HANDLE
THIS THING CALLED “WORRY”?
ARE WE GOING TO JUST WORK IT
IN OUR MINDS?
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES, WHEN I
WORRY, IT’S LIKE I’M REALLY
DOING SOMETHING.
I’M JUST WORKING IT AND
WORKING IT AND WORKING IT IN
MY MIND.
I HEARD WORRY WAS A LOT LIKE
SITTING IN A ROCKING CHAIR.
YOU’RE DOING SOMETHING, BUT
IT’S GETTING YOU NOWHERE.
WE’RE JUST WORKING IT AND
WORKING IT AND WORKING IT IN
OUR MINDS, AND THAT’S SO
UNPRODUCTIVE.
MY QUESTION TODAY IS, HOW ARE
YOU HANDLING WORRY?
BECAUSE HOW WE HANDLE WORRY
AND STRESS IS GOING TO MAKE
ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN OUR
LIFE.
THERE’S TWO SISTERS IN THE
BIBLE NAMED MARY AND MARTHA.
YOU CAN FIND THEIR STORY IN
LUKE.
MARY AND MARTHA ARE TWO
SISTERS.
THEY HAD A BROTHER.
THEY WERE OBVIOUSLY, FROM
WHAT THE SCHOLARS SAY,
WELL-TO-DO PEOPLE.
SO THEY HAVE A LOT GOING ON
IN THEIR LIFE.
THEY HAD MONEY TO MANAGE.
THEY HAD A HOME TO MANAGE.
THEY HAD A LOT OF THINGS
HAPPENING.
ONE DAY, JESUS CAME TO THEIR
HOME.
HE WAS GOING TO STAY WITH
THEM.
HE WAS GOING TO FELLOWSHIP
WITH THEM.
I’M SURE THEY WERE SO
EXCITED.
I’M SURE THAT EVERYBODY IN
THE TOWN KNEW, “HEY, JESUS IS
COMING OVER TO MY HOUSE,”
BECAUSE THIS WAS A VERY
IMPORTANT PERSON.
SO I’M SURE THEY WERE
PREPARING.
THEY WERE GETTING EVERYTHING
JUST PERFECT FOR JESUS.
JESUS CAME TO THEIR HOME, AND
AS THEY WERE FELLOWSHIPPING,
AND AS THEY WERE ENJOYING
JESUS, JESUS NOTICED
SOMETHING ABOUT MARTHA.
SHE WAS BUZZING AROUND.
SHE WAS WORKING IT, WORKING
IT, WORKING IT, AND HE SAID
TO HER, “MARTHA, MARTHA, WHY
ARE YOU SO ANXIOUS AND
TROUBLED ABOUT SO MANY
THINGS?”
YOU SEE, HE HAD OBSERVED
MARTHA AS THEY WERE IN THIS
HOME.
HE SAW HOW SHE WAS HANDLING
ALL THE TO-DO THAT WAS GOING
ON.
BUT IN CONTRAST, HERE’S HER
SISTER MARY.
NOW, MARY HAD AS MUCH
RESPONSIBILITY AS MARTHA DID,
BUT MARY SAID, “I’M GOING TO
TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY, WHEN
ALL MY BUSYNESS AND ALL THE
CONCERNS THAT I HAVE, TO JUST
LINGER HERE WITH JESUS.
BECAUSE, SEE, HE’S AT MY
HOUSE TODAY.
I WANT TO SIT AT HIS FEET.
I WANT TO POUR OUT MY HEART
TO HIM SO HE CAN POUR IN HIS
THOUGHTS TO ME.”
YOU SEE, MARTHA WAS SO
DISTURBED THAT HER SISTER
WOULD HAVE THE AUDACITY TO
SIT AT THE FEET OF JESUS WHEN
THERE WAS SO MUCH TO DO THAT
SHE SAID, “JESUS, YOU NEED TO
TELL MY SISTER TO COME HELP
ME.
SHE NEEDS TO GET UP AND SHE
NEEDS TO GET IN THIS KITCHEN.
THERE’S EMAILS TO ANSWER.
THERE’S STUFF ON THE STOVE.
THE KIDS NEED TO BE TAKEN
CARE OF.
THERE’S A BUNCH OF STUFF TO
DO, AND SHE NEEDS TO GET UP,
AND SHE NEEDS TO HELP ME.”
CAN YOU BELIEVE SHE WOULD
EVEN SAY THAT TO HER GUEST OF
HONOR?
HE SAID TO HER, “MARY HAS
CHOSEN THE ONE IMPORTANT
THING.
SHE’S CHOSEN THAT ONE THING.
SHE’S CHOSEN THE BETTER
WAY.”
NOW, LET ME JUST TELL YOU
THIS RIGHT NOW.
HE SAID, “THERE’S ONE
IMPORTANT THING.
THERE’S A BETTER WAY.”
NOW, HE WAS VERY MUCH AWARE
OF THE LEGITIMATE CONCERNS
THAT THESE WOMEN HAD.
THE BIBLE SAYS THAT JESUS
SAID, “IN THIS WORLD YOU’RE
GOING TO HAVE TROUBLE.
YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE
HARDSHIP.
YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE SOME
THINGS THAT COME AGAINST YOU.
BUT BE OF GOOD CHEER, I HAVE
ALREADY OVERCOME THE WORLD.”
“BE OF GOOD CHEER, I’VE
ALREADY OVERCOME THE WORLD.”
I GUESS, WHEN YOU LOOK AT
THAT SCRIPTURE, YOU CAN SAY,
“EASY FOR YOU TO SAY, JESUS,
YOU’RE GOD.
I STILL HAVE THESE TROUBLES
AND THESE CONCERNS.”
BUT THIS IS WHAT HE WAS
SAYING.
HE WASN’T SAYING THAT YOU
SHOULDN’T TAKE YOUR
RESPONSIBILITIES SERIOUSLY.
HE WASN’T SAYING THAT THERE
WEREN’T LEGITIMATELY THINGS
TO BE DONE.
HE WAS SAYING, “THERE’S ONE
IMPORTANT THING, AND IT’S THE
BETTER WAY.”
WHAT HE WAS SAYING IS, “ALL
THESE CONCERNS, ALL THESE
CRISES, ALL THESE THINGS THAT
ARE COMING AGAINST YOU, YOU
NEED TO COME HANG AROUND AT
MY FEET.
LINGER IN MY PRESENCE
BECAUSE, SEE, THAT’S THE ONE
IMPORTANT THING THAT’S GOING
TO HELP YOU GET THROUGH.
THAT’S THE BETTER WAY TO
HANDLE WORRY AND STRESS.
THAT’S THE BETTER WAY TO
HANDLE WORRY AND STRESS.”
YOU SEE, I BELIEVE THAT MARY
SOMEHOW FIGURED OUT THE
BETTER WAY, AND SHE DID IT.
IT WASN’T THAT SHE WAS LAZY.
IT WASN’T THAT SHE DIDN’T
CARE.
MARY SAID, “LOOK, THIS IS MY
CHANCE RIGHT NOW TO EMPTY OUT
THE CONCERNS AND TO PUT IN
ALL THAT GOD IS.”
YOU SEE, THAT’S THE BETTER
WAY.
HAVE YOU EVER PLANNED A
BIRTHDAY PARTY OR A HOLIDAY
CELEBRATION AT YOUR HOUSE, OR
SOME GATHERING, AND YOU WERE
SO STRESSED OUT THAT YOU MADE
YOUR OWN SELF MISERABLE, AND
MAYBE SOME OF YOUR FRIENDS
AND FAMILY AS WELL?
THERE’S A BETTER WAY TO
HANDLE THE STRESSES OF LIFE.
THE WORD “WORRY” COMES FROM
AN OLD ENGLISH WORD IN THE
1500S THAT MEANT “TO
STRANGLE,” “TO STRANGLE.”
I THINK THAT’S AN AMAZING
INTERPRETATION OF THAT WORD
BECAUSE WORRY AND STRESS
LITERALLY CHOKES THE FUN OUT
OF LIFE.
IT LITERALLY PRESSURES US IN
EVERY RELATIONSHIP THAT WE
HAVE.
IT STEALS OUR JOY.
THINK ABOUT IT.
JESUS WAS AT MARTHA’S HOUSE.
SHE COULDN’T EVEN ENJOY THE
FACT THAT JESUS WAS THERE.
SHE MISSED THE WHOLE BEAUTY
OF THE MOMENT.
SHE COULDN’T CALM DOWN,
RELAX, AND BE PEACEFUL.
SHE ALLOWED THE STRESS THAT
WAS GOING ON IN HER MIND TO
STRAIN THE RELATIONSHIP WITH
HER OWN SISTER.
SEE, IT WAS AN ATTITUDE THAT
CHANGED.
WORRY DOESN’T CHANGE ANYTHING
BUT YOUR PERSONALITY.
IT CHANGES YOUR DISPOSITION.
IT DOESN’T MAKE THE SITUATION
BETTER.
ACTUALLY, IT MAKES THE
SITUATION WORSE.
I WORKED WITH A WOMAN SEVERAL
YEARS AGO, AND SHE HAD SOME
LEGITIMATE CONCERNS IN HER
LIFE, AND I COULD SEE HOW IT
WAS AFFECTING HER ENTIRE
LIFE.
HER SON WAS IN THE MILITARY
AND HE HAD BEEN DEPLOYED TO
ANOTHER COUNTRY.
SHE WAS EXTREMELY CONCERNED
ABOUT HIS WELL-BEING AND IF
HE WAS GOING TO MAKE IT AND
HOW THINGS WERE GOING.
SHE WAS SO CONCERNED AND SO
WORKED UP THAT I SAW IT BEGIN
TO CHANGE HER DISPOSITION,
CHANGE HER PERSONALITY.
SHE COULD HARDLY EVEN
FUNCTION AT WORK, AND I SAID
TO HER, I SAID, “LOOK,
THERE’S GOT TO BE A BETTER
WAY TO HANDLE THIS SITUATION.
I MEAN, HE IS THERE.
THERE IS NOT A THING THAT YOU
CAN DO ABOUT IT.
YOU’VE GOT TO COME TO THIS
PLACE OF PEACE AND REST IN
THE LORD.”
SO I BEGAN TO PRAY WITH HER,
AND THEN I BEGAN TO MAKE SOME
SUGGESTIONS.
I SAID, “LOOK, YOU NEED TO
GET SOME SCRIPTURES.
YOU NEED TO HAVE THEM READY
JUST AS YOUR WARFARE, WHEN
THESE THOUGHTS START
STRANGLING YOUR JOY AND YOUR
PEACE.
YOU NEED TO WRITE OUT SOME
DECLARATIONS.
WHEN YOU FEEL THAT TENSION
COMING AGAINST YOU, YOU NEED
TO SAY, ‘GOD, THANK YOU THAT
MY SON IS IN THE PALM OF YOUR
HAND.
THANK YOU, FATHER, THAT NO
WEAPON FORMED AGAINST HIM
WILL PROSPER.
FATHER, THANK YOU YOUR ANGELS
HAVE CHARGE OVER HIM, TO KEEP
HIM IN ALL OF HIS WAYS.
HE WON’T EVEN DASH HIS FOOT
AGAINST THE STONE, BUT HE’LL
TREAD UPON THE LION AND THE
COBRA, THE YOUNG LION SHALL
HE TRAMPLE UNDERFOOT.
THANK YOU, FATHER, YOU PUT A
BLOODLINE AROUND HIM THAT THE
ENEMY CANNOT CROSS.
FATHER, I THANK YOU, LORD,
THAT MY SON WILL COME HOME
SAFELY.'”
I BEGAN TO SEE HER PUT THIS
INTO PRACTICE.
LITTLE BY LITTLE, SHE BEGAN
TO TAKE CONTROL OVER THAT
WORRY, AND I COULD SEE THE
STRENGTH COME BACK.
I COULD SEE HER FOCUS AND HER
RESOLVE COME BACK.
SHE BEGAN TO PRAISE GOD IN
THE MIDST OF HER FEAR AND HER
TORMENT, AND IT MADE ALL THE
DIFFERENCE IN HER LIFE.
YOU SEE, WORRY PULLS US AWAY
FROM GOD’S POWER, BUT WORSHIP
AND PRAISE DRAWS US TO HIM
AND IT CHANGES THE SITUATION.
I HAVE A GOOD NEWS TO REPORT.
SIX YEARS SERVING IN THE
MILITARY, AND HER SON CAME
HOME SAFELY.
HE CAME HOME SAFELY.
YOU SEE, WORRY’S A WEIGHT.
IT WEIGHS US DOWN, CAUSES US
TO NOT BE PRODUCTIVE.
IN FACT, THE BIBLE SAYS, “LAY
ASIDE EVERY WEIGHT THAT WOULD
SO EASILY BESET US, COME ON
US.”
SO YOU HAVE TO LAY IT ASIDE
BECAUSE IT SAYS THAT “YOU
HAVE TO RUN WITH PURPOSE IN
EVERY STEP,” AND WHEN YOU ARE
WEIGHED DOWN, YOU CAN’T RUN.
MY SWEET FRIEND WAS SO
WEIGHED DOWN, SHE COULDN’T
HARDLY GET TO WORK, MUCH LESS
RUN.
YOU SEE, WHEN SHE BEGAN TO
LAY ASIDE THAT WEIGHT, SHE
WAS ABLE TO RUN OUT HER
PURPOSE.
SEE, HER PRAYERS, HER
INTERCESSION FOR HER SON WAS
MUCH MORE POWERFUL THAN HER
WORRY.
WHEN SHE TALKED TO HIM ON THE
PHONE, SHE COULD SAY, “SON, I
WANT TO TELL YOU, I’M PRAYING
FOR YOU.
THE ANGELS OF THE LORD HAVE
CHARGE OVER YOU.
YOU WALK OUT AND YOU BE BOLD
WITH CONFIDENCE.
KNOW THAT GOD ALMIGHTY IS
LOOKING AFTER YOU.”
SHE COULD ENCOURAGE HIM TO
PRAY FOR HIMSELF.
YOU SEE, WHEN SHE BEGAN TO
LAY ASIDE THE WEIGHT AND RUN
WITH PURPOSE, SHE WAS WAY
MORE EFFECTIVE.
THERE’S A TECHNIQUE THAT I
USE, AND I’VE USED IT FOR
YEARS, AND IT WORKS FOR ME.
YOU JUST GOT TO FIND
SOMETHING THAT WORKS FOR YOU,
RIGHT?
SO WHEN I HAVE THESE CONCERNS
AND THESE TROUBLES, I IMAGINE
A BIG HELIUM BALLOON, BIG
BEAUTIFUL BALLOON, RED, RED
BALLOON, IT’S A POWER COLOR,
AND I BEGIN TO PUT THOSE
TROUBLES IN THAT BALLOON, AND
I IMAGINE MYSELF HOLDING THAT
BALLOON BY THE STRING,
HOLDING IT OUT IN FRONT OF ME
WITH THOSE TROUBLES, AND I
LOOK AT THAT BALLOON AND I
LET IT GO AND I RELEASE IT TO
GOD, AND I SAY, “GOD, THANK
YOU THAT YOU’RE BIGGER THAN
ALL THESE TROUBLES.
THANK YOU THAT YOU LOVE ME
AND THAT YOU SAID YOU’D
PERFECT THOSE THINGS THAT
CONCERN ME.
SO I’M GOING TO GIVE THEM TO
YOU.
THESE TROUBLES ARE JUST GOING
TO GO RIGHT AT YOUR FEET,
JESUS.
YOU’RE GOING TO TAKE CARE OF
THEM.”
YOU SEE, SOMETIMES, I HAVE TO
ADMIT, SOMETIMES I HAVE TO
LET GO OF A WHOLE BOUQUET OF
BALLOONS.
DO WHAT YOU GOT TO DO.
DO WHAT YOU GOT TO DO TO
RELEASE THE WORRY AND THE
CARE BECAUSE JESUS WILL
SUSTAIN YOU WHEN YOU RELEASE
IT TO HIM.
LISTEN, IF YOU FEEL THE
PRESSURE, THE STRANGLEHOLD OF
WORRY COMING ON YOU, EVEN IF
IT’S AUTOMATIC, PUSH THE
PAUSE BUTTON.
LET’S BE LIKE MARY.
LET’S TAKE A LESSON FROM THIS
WOMAN, AND LET’S SIT AT HIS
FEET.
LET’S LINGER THERE FOR A
WHILE.
LET’S EMPTY OUT THE CONCERNS
SO THAT WE’LL HAVE ROOM TO
RECEIVE HIS GOODNESS, HIS
THOUGHTS TOWARD US, HIS
WISDOM, HIS JOY.
LISTEN, WEIGHT IS ONLY GOING
TO WEIGH YOU DOWN, BUT WHEN
YOU LET IT GO TO HIM, MMM,
ALL THINGS CAN BE NEW AGAIN,
AMEN?
AMEN.