RIP

Photo Credit: Frank Mckenna.

RIP is something I’ve heard and read all my life.  And I’m sure you have also.  RIP, an acronym for Rest In Peace is often said when someone has passed away.  However, I don’t think RIP is something to say about dead folk.  If they were a Christian, then we believe they are with the Lord so they can’t be at anything but peace. And if they were not Christian then, there is no peace to be had no matter how many times we say RIP.

However, we who are alive certainly need to Rest In Peace.  We need to be able to lay our heads on the pillow at night and have restful, peaceful, worry free sleep.  How often do we lay awake at night troubled by thoughts of the bills or the children or the relationship?  How many times have we tossed and turned dreading what we must face the next day or brooding over something that has already occurred?  And let’s not forget those times sleep evades us as we plot our revenge against someone who has hurt or betrayed us.  We stay awake half the night while the object of our plotting is probably sleeping like a baby. 

Worry is a very useless emotion in that it accomplishes nothing and has no effect on the outcome of anything.  Worry robs us of our peace, kills our joy and often leads to physical ailments that destroy our health.   Think about it, what does that sound like?  In John 10:10, the Bible says the enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy.  Well guess what?  When we are consumed with worry, he doesn’t have to do anything except sit back and watch as we do his job for him. 

Worry is antithetical to faith and it is not possible to worry and walk in faith at the same time.  The Bible tells us to give all our cares over to God (I Peter 5:7 NKJV) and when we focus on Him and His goodness, He will give us peace (Isaiah 26:3 NKJV).  Jesus promises to relieve us of our burdens and give us rest (Matthew 11:28-30 NKJV), but we must do our part by calling on Him and asking Him to do it. I know from personal experience how difficult it can be to not worry about some things.  But I also know that the same way we meditate on negativity,  that’s all worry is, we can choose to meditate on positivity like God, His Word, His goodness, His promises, His faithfulness, especially how He has come through for us in the past.  So, on those nights when worry wants to invade your mind, cast it out, give all your cares and concerns over to God go to bed and Rest In Peace.