Saturday, February 5, 2011

Stop Being a Worrywart!


 “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life  —whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?” (Matthew 6:25-27)

       In this day and age, there is so much to worry about. If you lost your job, you worry if you’ll find a new one — fast! If your company downsized and moved you into a job you despise, you worry if you’ll ever find a new position you’ll love. If you’re a student, you worry about homework, exams, and keeping up with all of your assignments. If you’re a mom or dad, you worry about your children. If you’re a daughter or son of elderly parents, you worry about their welfare. If you’re in your late 40s or 50s, you worry if you’ll have enough money for retirement. Then, there’s the terrorism, wars, and the rising crime rate.
       The list can go on and on.
       It’s in these times that it’s so crucial to know the Lord and to be in constant communication with him. Not only for the salvation of our souls, but to have an almighty, all-powerful God to lean on and trust in. Jesus simply tells us not to worry about anything, because He loves and cares about us more than we could ever imagine, and He’s got everything in our lives under control. Sometimes it doesn’t feel like He’s got everything under control when it seems as though many aspects of our lives are out of control.
       I’ve been worried and anxious lately about a particular aspect of my life. And I haven’t been in the best of moods. In fact, I’ve been in a real funk. But recently, the Lord reminded me of the passage in Matthew. Just weeks ago, I was pleasantly surprised by a large flock of Robin Red Breasts that descended on one of my trees in my front yard.
       They came to eat the crab apples on the branches and those that fell on my snow-covered lawn. They didn’t seem to have a worry in the world as they pecked and ate the hard-shelled fruit, perched on the branches to rest, and chirped with one another. And it was freezing outside. It was an unusual site for a snowy January.
       But it was during this time that this passage came to life. Birds don’t have a worry in the world because our heavenly Father feeds and takes care of them — even in the dead of winter. And since we’re more valuable than they are, we’re not to worry about anything either. Why? Because God promises to take even better care of us than He does of them. He promises to sustain us, protect us, and look out for us no matter what.
       Knowing this brings me great peace. And I hope it gives you peace as well as you navigate the often rough terrain of life.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, as we watch the birds build their nests, forage for food, and fly through the air carefree, may we be reminded that we are more valuable than they are, and that you’ll continue to feed, cloth, and provide for us even more so. In Jesus name, Amen!

12 comments:

  1. Just as a child has faith that their parents will care for them, so we gain the faith that Our Father will take care of us. Beautiful reminder.

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  2. Thank you, Judy, for sharing your faith! It strengthens mine.

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  3. A lovely post, which reminds us that God has our lives under his control. Thank you.

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  4. I looked up I heard before that I thought you would enjoy: “Worry is like a rocking chair--it gives you something to do but it doesn't get you anywhere.”

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  5. I am also a worrier. So much so that I wrote a book on it to see if doing the research would help. Indeed, it does. But I'm a work-in-progress. Worriers among you may want to check out my book; I still do. It's called THE WORRYWART'S PRAYER BOOK. It's filled with Scripture, affirmations, anecdotes, and prayers to help worrywarts get off the worry-go-round and trust God more. My favorite: "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fal into the heart of the sea." Psalm 46:1, 2. I also love the adage my hubby coined, "Let there be no crisis before its time."

    I also have a blog (and I worry that I don't keep it current enough), called THE WORRYWART'S CORNER, which might help worriers. Meantime, remember, God's in charge so give all your worries to Him. He's the only one Who can make any sense of them.

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  6. Hi Allia,
    So nice to meet you! Your message above really blessed me. I left two messages that are pretty much the same on both of your blogs. Please stop by my blog often. I invite you to follow my blog as well. How do I go about following your worrywart blog?

    I looked at your worrywart prayer book on Amazon. Very nice book. I'm thinking about purchasing it. I also have a photography blog at http://judysphotogallery.blogspot.com. Please visit when you have a moment.

    P.S. How did you stumble across my blog?

    Take care.
    Blessings,
    Judy

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  7. Thanks Judy, I really needed this today.
    Andie

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  8. Amen! God IS always in control. Very well said, Jude. Love, Pam, your partner is prayer and spiritual warfare.

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  9. Blessed words to me - a worrywart who's just trying to trust God more all the time.

    Thanks for this - I really needed it. And I joined you in your prayer...

    GOD BLESS!

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  10. Judy, thanks for sharing this timely post. As you stated, people are dealing with a lot of stuff these days. But we need not be moved or shaken. Our God is faithful, and He is in total control. May these two truths give us abundant peace.

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  11. Hi, Thanks... God is good all the time....


    Regards,
    Jemcy

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  12. I stumbled upon this blog while trying to get my worrying under control. I am praying for God to take these feelings of despair away from me. I am about to go through something on Monday with some people that are not christians and so far they have been uncooperative with me. It is a situation I'm going through about my mobile home someone was renting from me, they put it on their parents property and then abandoned it. I have since then sold it to someone else, the problem is the parent won't give me the key. They said we can move it on their terms which will be Monday. The people that are buying it are being a little pushy, (i guess I can
    understand) and I just don't want these people
    to walk and I don't want them to be mad at me.
    They have already said if the land owners try to stop them Monday it's gonna be a war. I cannot pay for an attorney nor do I want it to come to that. I have gotten myself into a big mess.
    i need to FEEL God's holy hand upon this situation. I cannot shake this feeling of anxiety for three weeks now. God please help me !

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