Worry is Like a Rocking Chair

In the words of the great philosopher, Erma Bombeck ...“Worry is like a rocking chair: It gives you something to do, but it doesn’t get you anywhere.” From first hand experience, I can tell you that statement is true. I've done my share of worrying.....and it never got me anywhere! I realized that it is a time waster, energy sucker, stomach nauseater, and a depression maker -- not to mention, that I disappointed God when I was a "Worry Wart" (Merriam Webster says that's a person who worries too much or who worries about things that are not important). But more than anything, it's admitting that I'm not trusting God to take care of the situations in my life.

"Cast the whole of your care (all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all) on Him, for He cares for you." (I Peter 5:6,7) I love that image! I've been doing a lot of CASTING for fish with my grandsons, but we keep reeling the bait back in. But in that scripture, it means CASTING the cares -- all of them -- on Him....and NOT reeling them back in. We CAST them to Him....and let go of them.

Now that I've learned my lessons well, when a worry starts knocking on my door.....I quickly put my heart and mind on HIM who is my worry-bearer. "Him I will keep in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on me" (Isaiah 26:3) I quickly go to His sweet place of peace and ease and comfort when I cast the cares, the worries and pressures to Him -- after all HE is the Prince of Peace so why should I worry or fret? And why should YOU worry or fret? He's sending a little love note to us right now: "My child, you worry too much! Remember? I've got this! Love, Your Dad (God)"

What Grows in Your Garden?

I saw a friend’s post a couple of days ago where she was asking for advice for getting rid of weeds in her garden. Comments to her post included: “Put newspaper around the plant – it will suffocate the weeds”; “Put grass clippings around the plant”; and I loved this one “Don’t plant a garden!” LOL!

That made me think about the weeds that may have grown in our heart’s garden – weeds of selfishness, pride, self-centeredness, laziness, bitterness, anger, envy, etc. Here's my advice: 1) First, cultivate the soil and add in a get mixture of fertilizer (prayer) ; 2) Plant the seeds of God’s Word (Bible reading and meditation); 3) Give the plants plenty of sunshine (speaking the light of God’s Word over the situations that may be troubling or concerning us); 4) Give the plants plenty of water (thanking, praising, trusting in God’s goodness and mercy to complete what He started, Proverbs 3:4,5 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths."

Then, get ready for an abundant harvest of sweet and beautiful fruit: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.......” Galatians 5:22,23

St. Paul said it perfectly in I Corinthians 3:6,7 – once we plant the seed…..God will make it grow! "I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow." God is the Master Gardener, and what He plants, always yields a great harvest!