This Worry Wart has Gotta Go

A worry wart is someone who tends to spend way too much time on – well…worrying -- having anxious thoughts about this and that. I’m, typically, not like that! I just don’t let myself go there. But, this year, we’ve had plenty to worry about – some really serious things to worry about. I seemed to have breezed through it all so far, so my confession of being a worry wart may come as a surprise.

Enters this year’s fishing trip with my family. Something so delightful, invigorating, memory-making with a routine we’ve had for years. But, this year brought changes to our usual routine that caused me some fretting and even some troubled nights sleeping. Rather than the usual cabin we had all stayed in together before, this year, in the mix, is a humongous, beautiful RV. It’s fully equipped, efficient and streamlined. Everything has its perfect place and everything one needs is there. But, the RV experience changes my normal routines (i.e., blog writing, sleeping arrangements, preparing meals for two locations, etc.) The three guys are in the cabin. Logistics just weren’t the same.

I know it was ridiculous to be so anxious about something so trivial, but nevertheless, it still filled my mind with worry. Oh, I know that perfect peace comes from keeping my mind on Christ, but my mind kept taking the detour around the peace. Then, a couple of days before our trip, during my usual morning walk, I heard the song “Fear no More” by Building 429. “You’re my courage when I worry in the dead of night. You’re my strength cause I’m not strong enough to win this fight. You are greater than the battle raging in my mind. I will trust You, Lord. I will fear no more.” Seriously, I teared up as I knew it was a direct-from-heaven message about this annoying anxiety.

What? Such whininess coming from this super-powered woman of God? Lord, PLEASE forgive me -- when there are those who are facing dire reasons for concern and worry. Staci and I were in conversation when Payton, my grandson, called expressing frustration from some diligent, intense work he'd done on a website and suddenly everything he had accomplished, was lost. We prayed for recovery of it all and I told him about my own moments of anxiety and fear. I realized I had been in my stressful moments so that I could relate and encourage him.

It's amazing when as a devoted follower of Christ, I'm being a worry wart! But then, into that place comes a God-whisper in my heart, “Your worry can’t change anything, only I can.” Luke 12:25 says, “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life?” Who of us by worrying can make the bills go away, the sickness be healed, the stress be relieved, the marriage be restored, the lost data reappear, the washer get fixed, the project turn out right?

When I heard that song, I realized it wasn’t a “naughty, naughty, Donna” – it was a relief. Jesus, in all His gentleness and kindness, His extravagant mercy and care, took the big boulder from my shoulders and whispered, “It doesn’t depend on you.” Isn’t that what we really want to know?

It’s a daily suiting up in our armor to wage war against he that is the worry-wart-enforcer. We have a choice to trust the hard things to the Someone who cares for us. Choosing to trust and let go. Here’s what we can rest in today: The only One Who bears the weight of the whole world on His shoulders is strong enough to carry all my little pebble-worries and concerns. How sweet it is to trust in Jesus and to let Him be the worry-bearer and the wart-remover!

That Precious Rocking Chair of Peace

I no longer have a rocking chair because its usefulness was over, but it meant the world to me at one time. Oh, the joy I experienced in that rocker. I sat and rocked in it and sang sweet love songs to each of my babies. I’d kiss their soft cheeks and take deep breaths as I smelled that heaven-scent aroma on them. I’d pray for their little lives to be filled with the love and grace of God. They’d drift off to sleep as I cuddled them so close – and often, I’d fall asleep, too. It was almost a holy, sacred place of complete peace and serenity.

I’ve also ridded myself of the not-so-precious "worry" 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 firsthand experience, I can tell you that statement is true. I've done my share of worrying, and it has NEVER gotten 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". Worry Wart: someone who worries too much. Worst of all, being a worrier is admitting that we’re not trusting God to take care of the situations in our lives.

God knows that one of the greatest "joy stealers" in our lives is worry. That's why He reminds us not to worry and to trust Him completely. Jesus said in Matthew 6:25 “Therefore I tell you, DO NOT BE ANXIOUS ABOUT YOUR LIFE." That doesn’t sound like a suggestion, but a commandment from God.

Sometimes….as stalwart as we may be in professing to have great faith, and trusting in God implicitly, we are still vulnerable to the lies of the enemy. But thanks be to God, like rebooting a computer, we can do a “reboot” on our minds and remember what we know to be true. "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 know what it is to CAST for fish and reel that bait back in. 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.

I'm learning my lessons well. When worry starts knocking on my door.....I do my best to quickly put 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 get in my precious "peace" rocking chair and 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? What rocking chair are you rocking in today? A chair of peace and serenity or the chair of worry – that gets you nowhere. I’m choosing the peace chair! How about you?

Worry is Like a Rocking Chair

I can’t remember when I last had those “knots-in-the-stomach” feelings. Those almost paralyzing feelings. Those, “What if?” feelings. But they hit me last week. I’d pray and quote scriptures and I’d rehearse those times when Jesus schooled his followers about fear and worry, “Oh you of little faith,” and “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” and “Don’t worry about tomorrow for tomorrow takes care of itself.” and “Woman, you have great faith.” I heard what He said, but somehow that “worry bug” was having a hay day inside my tummy. How well I know better.

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 firsthand experience, I can tell you that statement is true. I've done my share of worrying.....and it has NEVER gotten 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". The Merriam Webster says a worry wart is someone 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.

Sometimes….as stalwart as I profess to be in my faith and trusting in God implicitly, I’m still vulnerable to the lies of the enemy. But thanks be to God, like rebooting a computer that is on the fritz or a cell phone that is on the fritz, I do a “refresh” and a “reboot” on my mental page and remember what I know to be true. "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.

I'm learning my lessons well. When worry starts knocking on my door.....I MUST 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)"

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)"