When to Worry

 When friends or family go through loss, illness, difficulties in health, job security, or relationships, I pray for them. And I worry. But I realized the other day that my biggest worries are never for those who I know are strong in their faith. The ones who live their life depending on God for their strength suffer the same as everyone else but there is hope in their hearts that they depend on for strength. I know they will come out on the other side stronger in their faith than they were before. Deep down, this is truth. 

It is those who never speak of their faith, who never spend quality time learning about Christ, who focus on this finite world and never the eternal next, who worry me the most. How will they withstand the storms of this difficult life? What happens when the bootstraps they pull themselves up by, break? I worry because I know how weak I am. I know my own lack of strength. I know that sometimes life gives me more than I can handle. I worry that they will not know how to ask the Savior to rescue them because they have never prepared their hearts for this. I worry because it is so hard to watch loved ones make the wrong choices knowing there is nothing I can do. 

But then I remind myself that the loving God I know, loves them with an intensity that puts mine to shame. And I know He does have the power to do something about their needs. And I know that He knows exactly the perfect next move for them in this complex chess game of life. He plays chess while my mind plays checkers. I know He welcomed the Prodigal son. I know He calmed the sea. I know He healed the lepers. I know He will leave the 99 sheep to look for the lost one. 

So the answer to the question about when to worry is NEVER. God is in control. 

Slapped Down Again

If I could only have one story to read out of the Old Testament, it would be the one of the life of Joseph.  It has spoken to me my whole life. So many lessons can be learned in this story of Joseph’s life!

Joseph was a guy who was continually slapped down and yet continually relied on God anyway. Consequently, God always pulled Joseph out of the sticky situation.  Was Joseph perfect? No. But he did rely on a perfect God.  

Joseph was thrown in an empty cistern by his jealous brothers, sold into slavery and carted off to a foreign land.  There, he served his master so well that he was given a great deal of liberty running the household.  Yet again, he is slapped down when the master’s wife falsely accused him of molesting her and Joseph is sent to rot in prison. There in prison he gained favor with the prison guard. He also correctly interpreted the dreams of fellow prisoners. Joseph knew, through one of those dreams, that a fellow prisoner was to be released so he tried his hand at getting himself out of prison by asking that guy to put in a good word for him once he was released. But that man, the chief cup bearer, forgot Joseph.  Joseph’s plan did not work the way he wanted. It was not God’s time for his rescue. 

When Joseph’s plan fell through, he must have been fed up, beat down and at rock bottom. Joseph spent two more years in prison. At that point, Joseph never imagined what God had in store for him. He didn’t know he was going to rule in Egypt. He didn’t know he was going to see his lost family again.  He didn’t know he would be put in a position to serve justice to his brothers. He didn’t know he was going to forgive his brothers instead of taking revenge.  He didn’t know he was going to be used to save many people from starvation. And all of this was God’s plan, not Joseph’s.  

My takeaway today is simple: I need to relax and trust God. I need to continue putting one foot in front of the other and trust God to provide a place for that foot to rest. I need to let go of my worry and plans to fix things. God has a bigger plan than I ever imagined.  

Philippians 4:6-7 NIV

[6] Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. [7] And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Mistaking Annoyances for Agonies

One of my biggest issues in life is making mountains out of molehills.  So often, I nervously navigate through a day filled with back-to-back worries-of-the-moment that wreck my peace, each demanding my full attention.  This leads from days, to months, to years, and possibly a lifetime of constant worry.  There is no way this is what God intended for the Christian life! Yet how can I win these tiny battles that indeed are one big war?  And what is the root of this issue?  

The answer to these questions lies in a statement I heard made by Beth Moore.  It was so profound that I had to write it down and keep it in my journal.  She said, “The more detached and self-absorbed we become, the more we mistake annoyances for agonies.”  Now that is truth. Let that soak in. Allowing myself to become detached from God and from the real struggles of people around me because I am so self-absorbed; this is the source of my pain. I am looking at my world through "ME" lenses. I am the center of my universe. How many times have I let relatively minor issues consume my mind and destroy me? In fact, if my issue deserves either of these hashtags: #Firstworldproblems, #Thestruggleisreal; it is a sign that I have yet again made a big deal out of nothing. 

So now that I have admitted this problem, what is the next step? How do I get to a place of healing? My background tells me to search the scripture and find references to worry in the Bible.  Here are a few of my favorites.

Philippians 4:6-7 NIV

[6] Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. [7] And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Hebrews 12:1-3 NIV

[1] Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, [2] fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. [3] Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV

[5] We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

So in a nutshell:

1. Throw off those thoughts that hinder and refocus my attention on God through prayer and petition,  choosing to fix my eyes on him.

2. Thank Him for taking care of the issue.

3. When worry happens again, I repeat step 1 and 2, thereby taking every thought captive all day long.

Sounds simple right?  Lol. We all know that on my own power it will end in failure. How in the world do I fix my eyes on the invisible when the visible is screaming in my face?  The simple truth is that I can’t.  But I have a powerful Spirit living in me that can! 

Romans 8:5-6 NIV

[5] Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. [6] The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.

Yes! I need to call on that Power through daily prayer, and in every situation. Then I am not left to battle with my own ineffective tools. This cycle of worry can be broken by handing it to Him in prayer. This will be powered by the Holy Spirit living in me. I realize there will be times that my habits will win, but gradually the change will grow and transform this old girl.  

Here is another way to remember to take every annoyance to God.  Do you remember a time in your young life when something very unfair happened and you knew all you had to do was tell a certain trusted adult and they would restore justice?  You probably ran teary-eyed to him or her, dumped the problem, and then went off to play knowing it was going to be resolved. One approach when worrisome thoughts take my mind is to remember with a victorious attitude of “I’m going to tell my Dad.”  And before stopping to tell others who have no power to help resolve the problem, drop it in my Father’s lap, thanking him for taking care of it. 

Lord help me, I have so far to go. May I learn to fix my eyes on invisible You. Help me learn to lean on You.  This struggle will be conquered one battle at a time and only through your power. Thank you Dad. Now I can go play.