In a flurry of activity and unsettled thoughts, I went to go and pray. My mind was racing, trying to process and catch the little foxes running through the thoughts in my head. What about this? What about that? Trying to think what was next, in at least twenty different scenarios… yes, I was worrying.
As I do every day, I approached the Father in Jesus with His scriptures. In that secret place, I recalibrated myself back into truth, back into abiding in Christ. But still, the worrying persisted. It wasn’t that I wanted to worry, I just couldn’t seem to disengage from it.
Then, out of my mouth popped, “Jesus Christ is greater than…”, and I named my chief worry. We all know worry feeds off projected scenarios or feared outcomes as we think how we can avoid this or control that. The scenarios always seem to have people involved, too, since people can be the “most unruly” of circumstances, haven’t you found? People also seem to embody a grand majority of situations that we think “should be” or “ought to be”. All these ingredients can add to our base of fear, and there you have it: a complete worry soup!
“Jesus Christ is greater than…”, and I named the primary person who was being “unruly”, at least according to my standards. Upon mentioning their name as less powerful than Jesus Christ, I found peace rising. The old scripture in 1 John 4:4 returned to my mind, “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”
“Yeah that’s right,” I thought, Jesus Christ is greater. He is greater than all. With renewed focus, I said it again: “Jesus Christ is greater than…” and I noticed more strength, more peace, and more joy rising! So now I tried declaring, “Jesus Christ is greater than…” by naming the next person whom I was struggling with. Then I named myself! With the clear authority coming from the name of Jesus, I felt my soul returning to rest.
I wasn’t commanding anyone to do anything, especially since I didn’t know what anyone should do. What I was doing (I now realize) was declaring that Jesus Christ is greater than anyone or anything trying to do whatever! I didn’t need to figure it out, fix it, stop it, or help. I did not need to fear. And so, my worries, without fear, subsided; and my soul returned to rest.
“Return to your rest, O my soul, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you” (Psalm 116:7, NKJV).
The declaration of Jesus Christ being “greater than…” had unlocked my soul from fretting captivity and placed it into His expansive, restful peace and strength. It was amazing. Needless to say, I expanded this declaration to then include everything and everyone whom I love, care for, wrestle with, or fear. Jesus is greater than…
Today, I found myself praying for someone I love with a heart of hope, asking the Father to give them a really great weekend. I stopped, and burst out laughing as I realized, “There I go again, wanting to control outcomes and people through prayer!” I heard the Father chuckle too, and say to me, “If your prayers can do that, then maybe We should be having you pray for everything.” Now I was really laughing… after a good belly laugh, I prayed again, “Father, Jesus Christ is greater than their weekend.”
My soul then settled into the warmth and embrace of Jesus Christ, who IS greater than…
