Worry

I sigh with pleasure as I slip into bed between crisp sheets and pull up the covers — at least two of them plus a bedspread. I like to sleep with weight on top of me, summer or winter. I feel more secure when cuddled under several blankets. Thankfully, by living in the desert in the winter and the high mountains in the summer, the temperatures are just right for me to do this.

Unfortunately, some nights I slip into bed and pull up another set of weights — the burdens that I'm carrying that day — and that weight definitely does not contribute to a good night's sleep. Since I broke my patella, I've spent more than a few useless moments worrying about my future physical abilities. When will I be able to walk normally? Will I be able to travel again? The future is what it will be; my job is to continue to exercise as I was told and to do my part in the recovery.

Worry is a useless pattern of thought that doesn't solve anything and can lead not only to loss of sleep, but to mental, physical, and emotional issues. It's full of what-ifs, speculation, and worst-case scenarios. Corrie Ten Boom said, "Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength." (Clippings from My Notebook).

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus hones in on worry and its uselessness.

Matthew 6:25a,27,34 – That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life — whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. … Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? … So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today. (NLT)

Verses about worry, anxiety, and fear occur over 400 times in the Bible. God knew that we would need them!

John 14:27 – I am leaving you with a gift — peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid. (NLT)

Philippians 4:6-7 – Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. (NLT)

Can we stop worrying? Probably not, because we're human. We can develop strategies to combat the worry: sing praise songs and hymns, praise God for His blessings, and thank Him that He has our situation completely under control. Best of all, we can follow the psalmist's example: "When I am afraid, I will put my trust in you." (Psalm 56:3 NLT) Pray with me:

Prayer: Lord, help me not to worry or to fear the future. I know that You are my God Who will strengthen me and help me and uphold me with Your righteous right hand. Amen.