Yesterday, I posted a “nice” little blog called “nip the worry”. You can read it HERE. God is always teaching me lessons about worry because I am such a worrier. He had shown me clearly how my little worries can direct my path and make me run in fear at times. And, when worries start, to claim scripture – God’s truth – over them.
Well, it was only a few hours later, after posting that blog, that I received a text that sent me into a tizzy. All my worries flooded back to me. I told a couple of friends to pray over the situation. I shed a few tears and prayed over the situation, too. I may have eaten half a bag of chocolate covered pretzels to comfort me a little. 🙂 Then, it hit me…
Didn’t I just write a blog about worry? Didn’t God already show me what worry does? Face palm! Seriously! Oh, how quickly I forget!
I can tell you that about 99% of all the things I worry about never happen or don’t happen to the extent of catastrophe that I imagine. I sometimes think I would be a really great writer of thriller or horror fiction. Ha! Most things that I worry about resolve themselves fairly smoothly. Why is it so hard for me to learn this lesson?
Scripture even tells us this: “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” (Matthew 6:27) We all certainly know the answer to that. Yet, I have wasted many minutes, hours, and days of my life worrying. Not to mention the gray hairs that I have as a result of it.
In Henri Nouwen’s book “Here and Now”, he says this about worry: “So the real question is: Can we do anything to worry less and be more at peace? If it is true that we cannot change anything by worrying about it, how then can we train our hearts and minds not to waste time and energy with anxious ruminations that make us spin around inside of ourselves. Jesus says: “Set our heart on God’s kingdom first.” That gives us a hint as to the right direction.”
Nouwen is referring to Matthew 6:33 from Jesus’ teaching on worry. I love the way the Message version words it:
“Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.”
Jesus goes on to say: “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.”
I may need to put that on a Post-It Note and stick it to my forehead!