Worrying is the world’s favorite pastime. Our
emotional, spiritual, physical and mental powers diminish when we give in to
worry. We make our self sick in body, soul and spirit by worrying.
Doctors write a score of prescriptions each day for
anxiety-related illnesses, such as: anxiety, apathy, headaches, decreases in
our immune system, increases in blood pressure, insomnia, and even bad habits
such as grinding teeth and biting nails.
Worry is a negative emotion and is very self-destructive.
I believe that worry comes from a subconscious fear that we are basically
vulnerable and unprotected.
Worry influences our thinking, decisions, opinions
and reactions to life. People who worry cannot relax and enjoy life. We fail to
trust God with our life (Matthew 6:25-34).
Most worriers grow up in dysfunctional households
and/or have a traumatic negative experience in life. Worriers have low
self-esteem caused by one or more shaming experience perpetrated by our parents
or someone we respect or love.
Worry takes our mind off the here and now and keeps
it as either a prisoner of the past or trapped in an imagined future full of
worse case scenarios. Surrendering them all to God is our only hope.
Understanding our worries can diminish their intensity
and possibly eradicate them completely. Ask yourself, “What is causing me to
worry?” “What is bothering me right now?” “What happened to put this fear in my
mind?” Journal the answers and pray about God’s resolution for each one.
Prayer:
Father God, we worry because we believe that we
have to maintain control over every aspect of our life in order to keep our
self and our loved ones safe. Parents worry about children, wives worry about
husbands and career, husband’s worry about their family and work related
issues, and everyone worries about having their basics needs met.
Remind us that the best way not to worry is to
follow the advice of Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust the Lord completely; don't ever
trust yourself. In everything you do, put God first, and he will direct you and
crown your efforts with success.” (TLB) Lord, we trust You to make even the bad
events in our life to work out for our good (Romans 8:28).
Thought for the
Day:
Worry can paralyze
us into inactivity and limit our productivity and inventiveness.
