Don’t worry about anything

How many times have we heard those two words “Don’t worry”? Many, many times I believe, yet how do we turn off the worry button? As an almost mended ex worry wart, I used to feel like punching the well meaning comforter on the nose, and say, ”It’s all right for you, you don’t have anything to worry about right now, and I DO, so how about helping me fix it, or listen to me whine and give me some sympathy, instead of offering useless platitudes”. So how do you get that ever present catalogue of “what if’s “erased from the ticker tape on your mental newsfeed? I think most would agree it is not easy, but there is a workable and permanent answer out there. I was infected with the worry gene in my mother’s womb.  Mum made worrying into a fine art. She worked at it, practiced it diligently until it was just a part of her persona. It emanated from her pores. Even if there was nothing to worry about, she would find something to worry about. If the cat was missing, he was run over. If I wore a short skirt, the neighbours would consider me morally bankrupt. If we got home late, we had been abducted by a horrible man and would be found dead in the bushes somewhere. As we sometimes inherit our family’s attitudes, sadly I inherited this one. Thankfully I inherited a new nature when I swapped my broken old one for my new God given one. It just took me a while to start using it.

The wonderful Christian speaker Joyce Meyer once said that worrying was like sitting and rocking frantically in a rocking chair. You would use lots of energy rocking away, yet you would go nowhere. You’d still be in the same place, on the same porch, with the same view, having expended loads of energy and nothing would have accomplished. It got you nowhere. And that is the sad truth, in spite of all that frantic rocking, worry will change nothing. Instead it disables the worrier and weakens them physically, spiritually and emotionally. An old English definition of worry is to “strangle or choke”. This is such an accurate description of an emotion which when in full flight, can leave you tense and breathless with fear, panic and anxiety. When a dog ‘worries’ a dead animal, he just can’t leave it alone, even though it is dead. He becomes obsessed and totally focused on what is in front of him. That is what we do. Thoughts race, your heart beat can increase, we can sweat or tremble and feel weak and tired. We focus entirely on the situation. We nag at it, over think it, try to work it out, go through endless scenarios until we are left depleted and exhausted. We are told by the medical profession that unresolved worry can create huge amounts of stress upon the body – mentally, physically and emotionally. It is all consuming, debilitating and a weapon of mass destruction even in the church. It paralyses believers with fear and takes our eyes off the cross.

Worry will happen in my own life when I search for the answer in my own strength. I assume responsibility for the issue that is troubling me, instead of handing it straight over to God to work it out. I work at it, over and over – coming up with possible solutions, ways which in my own strength I could possibly fix or change the person or situation. I become totally absorbed and focused on the problem, using up energy, putting the rest of my life on hold, becoming weary and overwhelmed and with still no solution in sight. I have realised that in my own life, worry is a lack of faith. I’m not trusting God to help in that particular area, and I’m taking on the responsibility to fix things. Most of my life I have had to look after myself, so I have found it hard to trust another, especially when the problem is still there right in front of my eyes. That is when after handing it over to Jesus, you have to stay in faith. So grow that faith. How? The bible has given us so many amazing verses about practical ways to get rid of worry.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”  Matt 6:25-27 NIV.

And “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matt 6:34 NIV.  And my absolute favourite.  “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  Phil 4:6-7 NIV.  I am so grateful that this is an area which God has helped me to almost overcome. I say almost because like many of my character traits, it is a constant work in progress. We are changed as we read the word of God, and apply it to our lives. Jesus knew so much about the human condition. Being fully human and yet fully God, he encountered the full gamut of human emotions. He encountered fatigue, isolation, spiritual attack and discouragement – yet he overcame because he knew his destiny and his identity. And so should we. Last week I wrote about the armor of God. By wearing that helmet of salvation, swinging that sword of the spirit which is the word of God, and hoisting up the shield of faith, we can use the power of the word of God to change this area into one of strength and peace. And pray, pray always. Confess out loud what God says about the situation, not what you see.

I encourage you to read, meditate on, ponder, mull over and learn what the bible says about living without worry. Apply it to your life. When confronted with a situation which has potential for worry, tackle it head on with the word of God. He promises us peace when we relinquish those burdens over to him. “Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken”. Psalm 55:22 NIV .  The word ‘cast’ means to throw or hurl. So throw that worry on his shoulders. He is there with hands outstretched ready and willing to take it from you. Let it go!!! Listen to this beautiful song, relax and trust it all to him