The Fine Art of Worrying

Worry. It's one of those things that we all do, whether we want to or not. It can come on quickly and can linger for a long time. When it comes to worry, some of us have it down pat more than others. What can we do to combat worry? Well, when it comes to questions about things like this: I think it's always wise to consult someone wise - Jesus.

"Therefore don't worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

Why should we not worry about tomorrow? Well, for one thing, it's tomorrow. It's the next day. But if you take it one more step, what is tomorrow? It's always a day away. Tomorrow never actually arrives. We never get to tomorrow. Why worry about a day that never actually arrives? When we worry about tomorrow, we lessen the quality of today. Who knows what we might miss out on because we spend time worrying about what could happen tomorrow or in a week or month or year?

The apostle Paul gives us some advice in the book of Philippians about stress and worry.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."

It's fairly straightforward. Pray. Be thankful. Present what worries you to The One who can handle all worry.

John Ortberg, in his book God is Closer than You Think, says this about worry, “We live under the illusion that worry enhances our ability to control the world. Somehow we fear that if we stop worrying about something completely, it will really go wrong. So we worry as if we're still in control of something that's actually completely out of our hands... the great danger of these worries is not just that they make my life emotionally unpleasant. It is that they distract me from the presence of God in my life.”

How can we keep from being distracted?

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

Jesus offers this advice in Matthew 6 (right before telling us not to worry). Seek Him. Why? Because when we do, we leave less room for distraction from worry. Because we are eliminating our need to control by putting His kingdom first. We focus on His agenda, not our own.

We all worry. We all have stress or anxiety. If we let it get to us too much, our health can suffer; our relationships can suffer; and our faith can falter. Instead of letting that happen, remember what Paul said, "Do not be anxious about anything." Let The One whose shoulders can bear the worry actually bear the worry.

-D