All of us worry about something from time to time. Sometimes, we feel insecure on the job, we fear for our children’s futures, or we are concerned about our health. There are a host of other reasons that cause us to worry.
I have determined that worrying doesn’t make the problem go way. My remedy to worry is to pray. If after praying, your emotions are still in turmoil then pray more. By resulting to the discipline of frequent prayer, you will discover the ability to remain calm and quiet. As you wait before the Lord, you will find relief from fears that have a grip on your life.
If your anxiety returns or persists, you might be tempted to think your prayer was not effective or you somehow failed. Persistent anxiety is a signal that you need more time with God reviewing all the details of your problem, telling him how much it plagues you, and sometimes even admitting that you are afraid he won’t handle your problem. Having a deep persistent concern for a problem isn’t the same as worry. Worry is choosing to fret instead of turning it completely over to God. So, if you tend to worry a lot, pray more.
Instead of worrying about what you cannot control, shift your energy to what you can control and don’t waste your time in anger, regrets, worries and grudges toward a problem. Today is our most precious possession. Worrying takes away this possession. Dalai Lama XIV said, “If a problem is fixable—if a situation is such that you can do something about it, then there is no need to worry. If it’s not fixable, then there is no help in worrying. There is no benefit in worrying whatsoever.”
Here is what the Bible says about worrying: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything—by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving—let your requests be made know to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in the Lord.”
So, as you go through today’s activities, remind yourself that worrying will not result in a solution to the problem. However, from a Biblical perspective, remember “therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” We are to give our worries to God because he walks through things with us. Never Give Up! Never Give Up! Never Give Up!
By Chaplain Ghosten
chaplain@lhp.net
