More musings on the book I am reading (& my Bible reading)

I was reading about how useless worry is. I knew that in my head, but gained new insight with some comments from the book In Pursuit of Peace. Worry won't change anything. Duh...but seriously! If it won't help and likely will hurt, why bother wasting time and energy on it? And if God will take care of you, why worry? Trust Him! And worrying about other people? You can't change people. You can barely control the outcome of your life, let alone anyone else's. Why worry about what anyone else does or says or thinks? They will do what they will do and you can't change it. Galatians 1:10 "Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ."

II Corinthians 5:7 says, "For we walk by faith, not by sight." Our feelings do not always convey truth. Our feelings change. We cannot trust our feelings. Satan can use our feelings against us. He can change our feelings.

I know I quoted this one yesterday, but it is well worth repeating. Matthew 7:7-11 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!" Matthew 9:20-22 "And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. For she said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.” But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, “Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour." Matthew 17:18-21 "And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”

Isaiah 26:3 "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You." I have been trying to focus on God as much as possible (through prayer, Bible reading, my books I am reading, and music) to try to keep the negative thoughts at bay. When I do, I am okay. When I don't, the depression creeps in. Today while I was at the YMCA, I was getting sad and depressed while in the showers. It really gets me when I am totally alone, showering or driving to work, etc. When I got out and was at my locker, getting dressed, a woman walked by and was singing "I Need Thee Every Hour." So you can see what an unexpected blessing that was (and so I can see it whenever I need it), I will put the lyrics here:

I need Thee every hour, most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine can peace afford.

I need Thee, oh, I need Thee;
Every hour I need Thee;
Oh, bless me now, my Savior,
I come to Thee.

I need Thee every hour, stay Thou nearby;
Temptations lose their pow’r when Thou art nigh.

I need Thee, oh, I need Thee;
Every hour I need Thee;
Oh, bless me now, my Savior,
I come to Thee.

I need Thee every hour, in joy or pain;
Come quickly and abide, or life is vain.

I need Thee, oh, I need Thee;
Every hour I need Thee;
Oh, bless me now, my Savior,
I come to Thee.