Worry Sour

Monday, September 18, 2023
Listen to this devotional:
Listen while you read: "I've Found A Friend O Such A Friend"1 (Lyrics)

There are several things that I have always wanted, and one of them is to have a horse. I have looked up horses for sale and have even sent pictures of them to the horse woman of our family: my daughter Mendy.

The other day as I looked up horses for sale, I came across two terms that I wasn't familiar with, and I had to look them up. One was "barn sour" and the other was "buddy sour". I had an idea that these were probably not good things when it came to horses. A barn sour horse gets so attached to the barn that he doesn't want to leave, and if given a chance, he will bolt back to the barn. A buddy sour horse doesn't want to leave his buddy, whether it be another horse or some other kind of stable mate. Mendy told me that El Roi, her horse, had to be separated from his buddy, Ruby Lulu, a miniature donkey, for just a short time. Mendy said that it was hard to pull El Roi away from his buddy because he kept turning back as Ruby cried out for him to come back.

That made me realize that I am a worry sour person. Worries, though not pleasant, can become a way of life, sort of like a buddy to us. At times, I lose sleep and much of my joy by worrying. With much prayer and the knowledge that worry accomplishes nothing, I will finally lay my worries at the feet of Jesus. The burden that I carried is lightened, and I can at last sleep in peace as I hand everything over to Him. Wow, wouldn't you think that I would leave it there? Not always! Just as the horse heads back to the barn or to his buddy, I see my worries from afar, and they bid me to come back, so I head to them. I have said jokingly that if I didn't have something to worry about, I would find something. That makes me worry sour. The Bible talks a lot about worry and anxiety and trusting God during those times. It reminds us to tell God about our concerns and leave them there in His good hands.

Philippians 4:6 – Don't worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. (HCSB)

I don't know if my dream of having a horse will ever come true, but I do know that just as being barn sour or buddy sour is not good for horses, being worry sour is not good for us. Let's leave our worries with the Lord and He will lead us to green pastures to feast on His Word. Trust Him and don't worry!

Prayer: Lord, we know that we do not need to keep running back to our worries, anxieties, or fears. Help us to lay them at the feet of Jesus. Amen.

Forward this devotional     Share this devotional on Facebook     Like PresbyCan on Facebook

About the author:

Jeanie Nihiser <jnihiserj@gmail.com>
Geneseo, New York, USA

Send your feedback to the author

1 Comment

  • PresbyCan Feedback says:

    Amen Jeanie.


    Wise words for all, Jeanie.


    Enjoyed your message today.


    Worries are good – they remind us we need God guiding, comforting us everyday through prayer.


    Thanks, Jeanie. I love that term and will borrow it from you — worry sour. I did that just last night, worrying over a decision.


    Such an interesting horse story and to find out that I am also worry sour.
    Thank you for the humor as we still seek God.


    Thank you for today’s devotional. How helpful it is to have a name for my constant worrying. It is a constant worry to be a worrier!
    Hope you find your special horse!!


    Morning Jeanie,
    Thanks for your devotional this morning. My mother-in-law was a worrier and for good or bad I am just the opposite. I may not worry enough. Talking to God and knowing he is in control does help!


    Good morning, Jeanie,
    Thank you for your good words this morning. I can relate to everything you wrote, except the horse part, I’m not a horse person, but I am a worrier.
    Good to read your devotional this morning,
    Blessings.


    Good morning, Jeanie,
    Thank you for today’s message.
    “Let’s leave our worries with the Lord and He will lead us to green pastures to feast on His Word. Trust Him and don’t worry!”
    Amen!
    This is a good reminder to all of us.


    Thanks, Jeanie, for this interesting as well as very meaningful devotional today. I had never heard the phrases “barn sour” or “barn buddy” before so I’ve learned a couple new expressions. It is easy to worry about things, but we need to remind ourselves the Lord is ever ready to hear our prayers and help us through whatever circumstance we face. Blessings for these writings you prepare.


    Spot on Jeanie! I’m a worrier too so I could really relate to your devotion today. Our daughter had a dream to have a horse of her own and she now has 3 and is taking care of another one for a friend. Her horses have been a big blessing to her over the years. Keep writing! I love your devotions! They always speak to me. (I knew this was yours after the first paragraph). Blessings to you and yours.


    Good morning, Jeanie,
    I know nothing about horses, so it was interesting to learn about “barn sour” and “buddy sour”. It is similar to humans as we get attached to our home and our family and don’t want to be separated from them. I think a lot of us can relate to “worry sour” at times in our lives. God does tell us many times in the Bible that He will handle our worries. Change is difficult and all these habits require us to change a habit which we are used to.
    With the help of the Holy Spirit, when we feel that we are worrying, we can ask for help to give it to God. That feeling of relief is amazing because definitely worrying about something does not change the situation. God is in control. so let’s not be a sourpuss very often. Thanks for sharing. Blessings.


    Jeanie, You’ve opened up a great topic. I grew up on a farm, but never witnessed barn or buddy sour animals. It’s the opposite – especially in the spring when they can finally get out to pasture. I’ve watched cattle and horses bolt out through those barn doors with wild excitement, glad to leap through the open space. Only sick and disabled animals would stay back.
    Jeanie, Your sour horse imagery reminds me that anxious worry can be a useful warning, a diagnostic symptom of something holding us back and crippling our faith. Personally speaking, my own “barns” and “buddies” are typically material securities and people’s approval. It’s like an addiction, hard to give up.
    Isn’t it wonderful that we can entrust God with our worrisome burdens, and He frees us – so we can leap for joy!


    Dear Jeanie,
    I loved your Devotional. “Worry Sour”. That was me. In fact I used to say that I was not happy unless I was worried about something.
    I also was in despair all the time because I knew that when I prayed, I always had hope but not faith and I knew that it was my lack of faith whether my prayers would be heard that kept me depressed.
    Then one morning many years ago, I remember quite well, I was working out at home and was switching through TV channels but happened to pause at a channel that aired Faith based programmes and that morning a Catholic priest was giving a talk on Faith. I knew I just had to stop and listen because that was what I was struggling with. My Faith in God.
    It was just one simple question that that priest asked that completely changed my life from that moment on. The question was:
    “How do you know if you have faith in Almighty God? Do you worry?” Because if you do, then you do not have faith.”
    He then went on to explain that by worrying about things. What we are saying to Almighty God is that He is incapable of helping us. That He cannot take care of our problems.”
    That was simply it! That had such a profound effect on me that I stopped worrying about my life and suddenly felt my faith get a huge boost.
    So “yes” I agree with your devotional that being “Worry Sour” is not a good thing.
    Thanks for writing about it.
    May Almighty God bless you and your loved ones.
    (Ontario, Canada)

Previous Post
«
 



PresbyCan is a community of faithful, Holy Spirit-filled, Christ-centred, God-honouring Christians.