"Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7
This is one of my favorite verses in the Bible, because I worry! I used to worry a lot - about everything. My mom worries, my great-grandmother worried so I assumed it was 'in my blood'. Some people are wired to worry! Right?
Sure, we all handle things differently. But some of us are overly concerned about life, we play it over & over in our heads, we "over think" our words & actions. This is especially true when we are overwhelmed or find ourselves in a stressful situation or with people who make us uncomfortable.
For years I had read "don't worry" in the Bible and could not understand what it meant. How does one not worry about: the dangers in life, being accepted, finding a job, making right choices, saying the right thing, being good enough, being happy, being safe, not making any big mistakes?! I had no idea! I read the words, but could not grasp their meaning.
As I studied God's word I began to see a pattern. He tells his people (those in the Bible and me & you) "do not be afraid" and "don't worry", a lot! I take comfort in this because it means I am not alone in my worry. And I should look to those people in the Bible as my example of how not to worry.
Another favorite passage about worry is in Matthew 6:25-34. In the NLT translation, Jesus says "don't worry" three times and asks "why worry". He also asks, "Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?" (vs. 27) and answers, "Of course not."
Wow! If you worry, go back and read Jesus' words again. When I read that & it's meaning finally sunk in, it was life changing! Worrying about something does not make it better or add anything good to my life. In fact, Renee has an acronym that I love: Worry Only Robs Rest from You. Take a moment to recall a time you were worried about someone or something. Do you remember how you felt? Did you sleep well, were you unfocused, tired, feeling alone? All of these feelings can lead us further down the path of worry, fear, and doubt.
How do we stop traveling down that dark road? We turn towards the light! We read God's Word and believe what he says. For a reminder, go back to the chart on pages 107-108. What a great list of scripture that tells us who we are in Christ! We hold on to the promise of Grace and trust that we don't need to understand everything, because God does, and that's enough. He is leading us - we just need to trust Him enough to follow Him. Renee has some great tips on how to spend more time in God's word on pages 176-177.
Is one of your worries that you can't follow God consistently? It's one of mine! For a long time I felt God tugging on my heart to guide a Bible study. But how could I, with all my shortcomings?! It's the very reason I don't have an Ichthys magnet on my car. I don't want others to know I'm a Christian when I'm being less than Christian-like behind the wheel! And oh boy, could I relate to Renee's story about the day she spent at her mother's house - it started out beautifully and ended in a mess! I know that feeling of going from a serene place to anger & disappointment in a very short time. Then in comes worry, doubt, and feelings of failure and guilt. I use to spend days beating myself up when I failed spectacularly, but that's not what God wants for us. Instead he offers us grace & mercy (Hebrews 4:16).
All we need to do to receive it, is ask!
Your Partner in Ministry,
Shelly
"Kind words are like honey - sweet to the soul and healthy for the body." Proverbs 16:24
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