What part does worry play in your life? Do you find yourself easily made anxious by the littlest of things? Does the question, “What if?” easily dominate your thoughts? True, we all want to know “why” a certain difficulty comes into our life, and if possible we are eager to get rid of it. But worry will only make the problem worse, not better.
Lately, my days are characterized by extreme fatigue (with frequent naps) and unregulated body temperature. I am very cold, then very hot, then very cold again; to the point of wearing five layers of clothes and sitting in front of a heater to peeling them off for a minute or two and repeating the process. A friend told me today that God is giving me insight into the plight of menopausal women. That could well be because trials do have a way of empathizing with others, but this seems rather debilitating. But the lesson learned through this Leukemia journey is that some things just take time to fix and there is nothing I can do to make it go quicker. We can’t ignore the reality of our trying situations, but we always have the choice of how we respond to them.
And so I need to go first to God with this and other struggles. Is this something He wants to take care of or is there something I need to do (for example, pay more attention to my hydration and eating)? If there is nothing I can do, then worry has no place in the matter. It isn’t of any use to me; in fact worry works against me.
Worry pulls continuously at a loose thread in your garment of faith until it is rendered quite useless. Worry is a form of unbelief and doesn’t live in the same reality of faith. Furthermore, if we who are believers in The Risen Christ are characterized by a life of worry, we have good reason to question the reality and power of our faith and the impact on others. (Who would want a faith like that?)
Author Sarah Young asks, “Who is in charge of your life? If you are in charge you have good reason to worry. But if it is (God), then worry is both unnecessary and counterproductive. “The key is to slow down the moment you feel anxious, be still, and redirect your focus to the One who made you, who understands your situation. “(He) will either take care of the problem or show you how to handle it.” (Young)
You don’t have to live a life of worry. You can choose peace instead.
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (Jesus speaking) John 16:33