There was a man who began to worry that he would get cancer because it had been prevelent in his family. He worried about it for years and years and then suddenly died of a heart attack.
Worry does nothing but waste your time. I have used the scenario when speaking to groups about the rocking chair. Worry is like being in a rocking chair. You use all your energy rocking back and forth and never get anywhere. Not only that, but it puts you in negative self talk that can affect your choices and your actions. How do I know? I am the woman in scenario number one above. Worry became my way of life for years.
Matthew 11:28-30 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest..........
I remember sitting in front of a Pastor/Counselor years ago, in the defense of my worry, and told him "but if I can look ahead and imagine all that could go wrong, then I can then plan against it in the hopes of preventing it." I will never forget him looking me boldly in the eye and saying: "What a way to live out your life...Is that the way you want to live out your days?" I knew I didnt, it was exhausting and was taking a toll. Fear is nothing but torment.
I have worked very hard over the last several years to correct my stinkin' thinkin', as I hold every thought captive and determine what type of thought it is.
Psalm 56:3 When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.
In todays happenings, it is easy to get sucked into a mindset of worry. Just turn on the news media, or social media...it wont be long reading or listening to it and it's possible that you will allow your mind to get sucked in to the web of worry.
Is it important to be aware of what is going on in the world? Absolutley! Should you be concerned about your health? Yes. Should you be concerned about the health and well being of others? Yes. Should you make efforts to eat wisely and exercise and follow guidlines to stay healthy? Yes. Should you manage your money well? Yes. But to be bound to worry on these things will only prevent you from enjoying your health and blessings...the things right smack in front of you.
Jesus told us to get rid of the worry that he forbids by changing our priorities. He says, "Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you." (Matthew 6:33) The problem with worry is that we are seeking the wrong things. We need to seek God and His kingdom and everything else will fall into place. Does this mean I should not concern myself or act in a responsible manner? No. Should I blindly cross the highway and claim "Well I am seeking first His kingdom, so I dont need to concern myself with getting hit by a vehicle" ? No. That would be stupidity. You must use wisdom and basic common sense as you are led by the Holy Spirit.
If you are prone to struggle with the stronghold of worry, I suggest doing what I do and have suggested to others at many speaking conferences. Write it down.
Write down that worry. When Satan drives you to worry (and he can be relentless), write your worry down. Write in a journal, a notebook, somewhere you can easily access it again. Write down the things that keep you up at night.
Talk to God and tell him that you have written it down. Along with that worry, also write down what Gods Word states about that worry.
Maybe you are concerned about lack at this time. I would suggest looking up Matthew 6:26-34. If you are concerned about health and protection, read Psalm 91. Honestly, even if you are not sure, you can do a scripture web search and type in something like "worry about health Bible verse" and you will be given a ton to read.
Once you find a verse that speaks about the very worry you are concerned about - WRITE IT DOWN. When that worry comes to mind, instead of focusing on the worry, focus on the WORD. Repeat it, sing it, etc.....do it over and over. Retrain your brain to focus on what Gods Word says.
Will doing this make your problems go away? Probably not. What it WILL do is shift your focus and shift the weight of those problems off of you and back on to God, right where we should be casting them in the first place. (1 Peter 5:7, Phillipians 4:6-7, Proverbs 12:25)
He is strong enough to carry your burden, so let Him. Some of us have done this but then later take it back. Do we think we can out do God? He has a resume of faithfulness in your life....think about that. Place your worry and concerns in His lap and let it go. When you do this, you will find that peace that passes all understanding. It is an on going action. Sometimes it is daily, even hourly. Give yourself some grace as you may have to retrain your brain, but trust Him to do what He says He will do.
