There are two quotes that speak to the truth about worrying. “Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy” and “People become attached to their burdens sometimes more than the burdens are attached to them.” Do you know people who worry about every little thing? Maybe you are a person who worries about insignificant events.
Worry is one of the most ineffective pastimes we can indulge in. Worry is the assassin of rest and relationships. It stalks us and hijacks our minds. While we may continue to function publicly, there’s a sinister force lurking within us. This enemy called worry disorients moods, destroys creativity, and depletes your sense of completion which comes from within and can’t be achieved by the acquisition of things. Why do we wrestle so much with things we can’t change?
One pastor writes: “It took me years to realize that when I went to bed, I shouldn’t go with half my day wrapped around my head. I wrestled all night with issues that couldn’t be resolved until morning anyway. I can’t tell you how many days I went to work feeling like the worn heel of an old shoe. I was less effective, tenser, unable to perform to full capacity, and it took its toll on my relationships.”
Can you relate? Here’s God’s prescription for worry, and it’s more effective than anti-anxiety medication: Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience a peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your heart and mind as you live.
In 1420 the German monk Thomas à Kempis said this, “First keep the peace within yourself, then you can also bring peace to others.” But you can not give others what you don’t have. So where can you find the kind of peace he’s speaking about? The bible teaches “But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace-loving and gentle at all times. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. Those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of rightness. “
In a television interview Barbara Walters asked the highly acclaimed actor Richard Dreyfuss this probing question: “If you could have only one wish, what would you wish for? Without hesitating Dreyfuss replied, “Every time I have a birthday, every time I blow out the candles, every time I see a shooting star, I wish for the same thing…inner security.” What are you wishing for today? Never Give Up! Never Give Up! Never Give Up!
By Chaplain Ghosten
chaplain@lhp.net
