I have a friend that says worry is like sitting in a rocking chair, it keeps me busy but gets me nowhere. When I worry, I waste so much energy being unproductive and make it so I am unable to live in the moment. It is a kind of anxiety that serves no beneficial purpose. The ruminating thought patterns keep us up at night, replaying scenarios we cannot change and worrying about outcomes we can’t control. It creates feelings of helplessness, dread of outcomes for choices already made, fear of the future, and concerns for things and problems that haven’t or may never even occur. So why do we do it? 

There are many reasons why we worry: fear of the unknown, desire for control, protective instinct, past experiences, regret, shame, or perfectionism. My most recent experience with worry, as an attempt to control and fear of the unknown, placed undue stress on my body that has caused shingles. Wow! I can tell you without a doubt that the worrying and stewing I did was not worth it! It has done nothing but create more pain and suffering for a situation that, as the Lord has reminded me, “there is a clear path”. While I may not know what that clear path is or it may not be the path that I am envisioning, it will be His will in His timing and not my will or my time frame. I need to trust in Him and allow my faith to guide me. 

In Matthew 6:34, we find the affirmation: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” This verse encourages me to remain present, focusing on living in today rather than becoming consumed by future uncertainties. In Philippians, we are further advised, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” This wisdom shows me how to transform my worries into acts of faith, fostering a mindset of trust rather than anxiety. By embracing prayer and gratitude and presenting everything to God, I can redirect my thoughts and I am promised peace amid uncertainty.

I have allowed my anxiety to weigh heavily on my heart and mind, causing a physical ailment like shingles. However, by turning to biblical wisdom and adopting proactive strategies for managing my stress, I can have a healthier mindset. I can choose to remember to stay present, admit my powerlessness, embrace gratitude, and seek support so I can pave the way toward a more peaceful and fulfilling life. As I navigate the challenges of worry, I will find strength in faith and the promise of each new day.

Practice for Today

Today I will choose to be proactive to give everything on my mind over to God, work on the things that I can change and accept the things I cannot. I will make the conscious choice to not indulge in worry, however, if my mind begins to spin, I can choose to recite something like the serenity prayer to shift my focus back to God. When I start to worry about the future, I can write down a few things I have to be grateful for now and choose to be present in and enjoy this moment. When my mind begins to obsess, I can choose to write the thought, regret or concern down and place it in my let go and let God box. Perhaps I can give a faithful friend a call to talk it through and get it out of my head because fear and faith cannot live in the same house. I know now that I have the choice to pick from multiple tools in my toolbox to use in surrender to God and receive in exchange the peace that surpasses understanding and will guard my heart and mind.

Philippians 4:6-7   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.

2 Corinthians 10:5   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.