Philippians 1:9-11

9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

I'm reading through Philippians 1 again this morning and am going to try to keep in mind today that the reason I do and the reason that I should increase my knowledge is to give God glory. 

That's hard for me to keep in mind and/or strive for sometimes because I'm sick of being in school. I really enjoy reading about and learning about topics that interest me (or are at least interesting) but when I get a dull class or less than engaging professor it's hard to give it my all.

And then my tendency is to become prematurely stressed out. For example, I have two papers to write. I'm getting pretty anxious... But one is not due for two weeks and another isn't due for a month. Besides, even if I only had a day, worrying isn't going to help.

Sometimes I hear people say that worry is ok and even good because it means you're taking it seriously. I think if you don't know God or you're not trusting Him then you can only hope in yourself or the situation and that is pretty serious. Worry, however, still doesn't help you, it just shows others that you don't have your hope in God.

If I know I have a paper due in two weeks and I know that it's serious, I want to do well on it, I have to start working on it so I don't run out of time. I trust that God knows about my paper but I also know that my relationship with Him and my witness to others is more important than my paper. Am I making sense?

Here's a few verses to help:

Phil. 1:27-28 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God.

Matthew 6:27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?

Proverbs 12:25

Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.

Matthew 6:25-34

25 "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

34 "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Philippians 4:4-7

4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. 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 surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.