Guard your heart above all else,
for it determines the course of your life.” ~ Proverbs 4: 23
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Whenever my grandchildren scratch a knee or a finger, they run to their Mama for comfort. She kisses the boo-boo, prays for healing, and then bids them go play!

As I recently watched one of these scenarios transpire in my kitchen, Holy Spirit spoke to me. “When you come to me with a problem, do you pray and then go play? Or do you pray and then go fret?”

The Lord’s words brought me under conviction. Too often, I pray and then go fret. Too often, I continue to carry the burden I thought I’d laid at the Lord’s feet.

Too often, I worry.

Worry is a sin. When I worry, I am not trusting God. When I worry, I am not acting in faith. When I worry, I am moving in fear.

What about you? Do you pray and then go fret? Or do you pray and then go play?

Play symbolizes freedom from worry. Play symbolizes peace and rest.

Play symbolizes faith.

Not long ago, Holy Spirit awakened me with this Scripture verse: “The servant of the Lord must not strive” (2 Timothy 2: 24). To strive is another way of saying to worry, to take matters into my own hands, to try to fix things on my own. Truth be told, I can’t fix a thing without God’s help, especially the big problems of life. In every case, I need His wisdom, His discernment, and His guidance.

In every case, I need to pray, and then go play.

Since observing the “kiss-the-boo-boo” scenario in my kitchen, I’ve chosen to switch gears. From now on, when I run to God with a problem, I will leave it there, trusting Him to take care of it. He is bigger than I am, and He can certainly handle the worst of problems. 

And then, I will do what He says. “Pray, then go play!”

Now it’s your turn!  What will you choose to do with your burdens?  Will you choose to pray and then go play? Please post your comment in the box below. Thanks!

TWEETABLE: “Pray, Then Go Play!” by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio (CLICK TO TWEET)

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Matters of the Heart is a weekly blog that deals with the deepest issues of the human heart, the issues we all face but sometimes don’t want to talk about. The heart is the programming center of our lives. What is programmed into our heart will affect every area of our lives. Learn how to discover what is in your heart and how to program your heart for success.

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