Hi Friends,
One sure fire way to lose our peace, stress out and react instead of responding, is to worry about everything. Let’s talk about what worry is, how it can take away our relaxation and some ways to stop worrying. Listen to the words of our Lord:
“Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” Mt 6:27 NIV
Worrying only subtracts. As Jesus says, we cannot add anything to our lives by worrying, but we certainly can take away a lot of the joy we should be experiencing! So what is worrying? Worrying, or trying to figure out everything beforehand, is you and me trying to have control over every detail of our life. But not only our own life! We try to control everyone’s lives around us too…as if we could! It is one of the Enemy’s biggest tricks to suck the life out of God’s children, and how much more for those who do not belong to God…yet. As we grow in Christ, hopefully one of the things we are learning is to “let go and let God,” as the saying goes. I’ve heard way too many Christians complain about how this is just too hard to do…but is it not soooo much harder to try and control things that are WAY out of our scope to do so? The frustrations and anger and confusion steal, kill and destroy us, just like the Enemy wants this futile activity to do. We waste precious time when we could be trusting God and enjoying life and those around us. We waste vital energy on things that might come to pass…or might not. We waste our valuable resources trying to…let’s face it, trying to be God! Worrying about the unknown is not what God desires for us. Simply trusting and obeying is His Plan to give us the relaxed life we really desire.
Worrying only subtracts. I have never thought of myself as a worry-wart. While “worry” is often associated with anxiety, I never felt like I was anxious about anything that was happening…or not happening, as the case may be. Because I felt calm with situations I had no control over, I thought this “worrying” stuff was just not a problem for me. Until God showed me otherwise, that is! Ok maybe I never felt nervous or uneasy about life, but man did I try to figure everything out and have a plan in place for every possible scenario that just might happen! You see, that is the same thing. We are trying to control every detail of life, when we cannot possibly do that. As I said above, worrying, or trying to figure it all out, is just a waste of time, energy and our resources. Too many of us waste time planning things that never actually happen. Instead there is so much we can do that will add to our life, and to the lives of others around us. How about spending time worshipping God instead? Thanking Him for all that has worked out in the past. How about investing time with a friend who needs help? Those who can use our knowledge, insights, affections. Or how about just going outside for a walk in God’s beautiful nature? Being inspired by all His creativity and basking, literally, in the sun (and Son). The Enemy knows all about wanting to control every aspect of everything around him…and he fools us way too often to follow his example. Don’t!!! Choose today to stop worrying…really it is as simple as a choice.
Add to your life instead. Of course we need the power of the Holy Spirit in order to continually, and consistently, choose not to worry. After all, if we could do this on our own, wouldn’t we? No, we need God. Why? Because it is only as we trust Him, that He knows all the details of everything that will ever truly happen, that He will never leave us nor forsake us, that He is working all things…even the difficult ones…together for our good…it is only as we grow in Christ to believe what God has already said in His Word that HE would do for us, that we can relax. We must connect with God so He can guide us to do OUR part, but then we must let the control go and trust that He will do what we cannot do. This is a relationship, my Friends. If you are holding on to worry, or trying to figure it all out, then you are not trusting God and you just might need to do some more growing. Either way, the answer is always to just connect with God. Receive His Love. Live in His peace and joy. And choose to relax instead of worrying. Seriously, it is as simple as a choice.
I choose to relax. I cannot add anything good to my life when I try to control it all. And quite frankly, it’s exhausting when I used to try to do that. Now I have learned to do all that I can, to use all that I have been given whether that is time, talents or treasures, then let God do the rest. I trust Him that, if He “needs” me for anything, He will move me and I will obey. But the controlling every part of my life and the lives of those around me? That is WAY above my pay grade, so I choose to do my part, then rest in Him. Sometimes the amount of relaxation I am experiencing seems odd to me…but my goodness does it feel awesome! This is the Abundant Life we were created for. Do you want a new level of it? Then won’t you join me?
Until we meet again, keep lifting your eyes to God, He’s closer than you think.
<>< Peace, Diane
