(Mark 4:18–19 DKJV) “And these are they (the seeds) which are sown among thorns; [the thorny soil are the people who] hear the word, (19) And the cares of this world (life) … choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.”
Another Biblical example of someone wrestling with cares is the apostle Paul. He understood the potential for distraction: the mental pressure of cares, worry, anxiety, and the temptation to divide his thinking; but he also knew how to overcome them:
(2 Corinthians 11:27–28 MKJV) “I have been in hardship and toil; often in watchings; in hunger and thirst; often in fastings; in cold and nakedness; (28) besides the things outside conspiring against me daily, the care of all the churches.”
Paul had planted various churches; he dreamed of their success, growth, purity, and influence. He felt responsible to see that they all continued and flourished with life, vitality, and [doctrinal] health.
However, Paul’s dream was challenged daily by infighting, doctrinal problems, persecutions, and evil leaders. These potential dream-blockers and kingdom-treasonists threatened to stifle the churches, and to destroy Paul’s work. These facts in themselves would be enough cause for extreme mental pressure. However, through my own experiences, I can imagine that in tandem with these divisive problems, the enemy hurled fiery darts of doubt, worry, care, and mental pressure at Paul—oppressing him with tormenting images of failed churches and the picture of his ministry in tatters and disgrace. He summed this up as “the care of all the churches.” Paul used the same word for “care” that Jesus did in Mark 4, “the cares of this world”—meaning distraction, disunity of mind, etc.
Did Paul think this was God’s will? Did he merely give in to the pressure and distraction by confessing the devil’s victory? Or did the Holy Spirit show him a way to overcome those cares? Let’s look at what he wrote in his epistle to the Philippians:
(Philippians 4:6 MKJV) Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.
The Holy Spirit showed Paul how to overcome the distraction of cares—that grow in our hearts like weeds—that compete with God’s word and vision. He says in effect, “Don’t worry, be anxious, or have care about anything; but pray about everything.” So prayer is the solution. The way to overcome cares is to pray about absolutely everything that threatens your peace, and that tries to distract you from your single focus on God’s word and the success of his dream for your life.
Let’s put the Holy Spirit’s instruction here into context:
(Philippians 4:4–8 MKJV) Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say, rejoice! (5) Let your moderation (gentle reasonableness) be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. (6) Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. (7) And the peace of God which passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. ( Finally, my brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are right, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue and if there is any praise, think on these things.
The instruction to pray about everything [that threatens to distract your mind with cares] is sandwiched between these other ideas:
• Rejoice … always;
• Moderation—mild, gentle, reasonableness;
• Thanksgiving;
• The peace of God guarding your heart;
• Through Christ Jesus—the Living, Anointed Word of God;
• Think on things that are honest, right, pure, lovely, good report, virtue, and praiseworthy.
These along with “prayer about everything” are also part of the Holy Spirit’s strategy for overcoming the cares of this life.
We note that successfully handing all the care and anxiety over to God is “through Christ Jesus.” This means:
• Walking in Jesus’s achievements for us;
• Benefiting from his present ministry as our High Priest, intercessor, head of the church, Lord, etc.;
• Relating intimately with him, and via him, with Father;
• Rejoicing always—as in his presence is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11);
• But it also shows that God’s peace comes through God’s Living Anointed Word—Jesus Christ is the Living Word of God.
I encourage you today to hand over all your cares to God through Christ Jesus—in close relationship with him as you stand on the promises of his living Word.
