I have struggled with worry some in the last year or so. I know many others that also struggle with worrying. So that topic has been on my mind quite a bit. What does it really mean to worry? The definition that I found is: Verb: "give way to anxiety or unease; allow one's mind to dwell on difficulty or troubles." Noun: "a state of anxiety or uncertainty over actual or potential problems."
There are many things we can worry about: Relationships, finances, health and so much more. We all have some (possibly many) difficulties and troubles that we are facing. Sometimes they seem so big or there just are so many of them all at once that we start dwelling on them. I have noticed lately that I tend to have triggers that really set me off. For instance a little over a week ago I came home from work on Friday evening to discover my septic alarm going off. That had already happened twice this fall so I was already well aware of the drill of not using showers/ toilets/ sink drains hardly at all until we get this fixed and the expense it was likely to cause as well. There was a little sinking feeling but not overwhelmed. God has helped us through that before and He would again. Then that evening I went to check my e-mail and found out that my e-mail address had been used for spam and I had over 5,000 e-mails coming in (mostly Mail Undeliverable-type e-mails). I worked at finding the humor in it, enjoying e-mails such as this one:
"Dear Rat Fan,
It's with sadness to let you know that Debbie the Ratlady unexpectedly passed away in March 2018. This email address is being checked, and your email will be answered when possible.
You may very likely find the answers to your questions on the Rat Info page on The Rat Fan Club website at www.ratfanclub.org or on one of the links, especially the website at http://www.RMCA.org or the FAQ page at http://wererat.net/rathelp/. You can also join The Rat Fan Group on Facebook and ask questions there. Click on the Online Forum button on the website.
Please spend some time becoming familiar with these resources!
Until they are out of stock, Debbie's booklet Rat Health Care and my rat care book, Rats are available. You'll find ordering information on The Rat Fan Club website at www.ratfanclub.org
Thank you for your understanding"
I called the plumber too and we decided we would be okay until Monday. We skipped our showers, prayed about the issues together and went to bed.
Saturday was a new day. My parents had invited a bunch of us over for a sledding party. We had a lot of fun there but I did hit my tail bone hard on a stump (that we had uncovered with much sledding) on one of my last runs down the hill. As Saturday afternoon went on the pain was getting worse and then I went to check my e-mail again and this time there were over 10,000 e-mails coming in to weed through. I wept. I also started to worry.
The combination of everything and especially one of them being a tech problem (which is something I always went to Ken for help with and is not my expertise) was my trigger to start worrying. Sometime life just seems completely overwhelming and all the issues whether they are truly big or small or even just potentially a problem start taking over your thinking and all of a sudden that is what you are focusing on. Worry can set in so very easily.
What does the Bible say about worry?
Matthew 6:25-34 "For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! Do not worry then, saying "what will we eat?" or "What will we drink?" or "What will we wear for clothing?" For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you nee all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
Wow, that rather hits home! It helps put things in perspective. I wasn't even to the point of worrying about food or clothing (some of the very basic needs of life). I have plenty of both of those things. I was worrying about e-mails and a septic system. Both things that I can live without and that can be fixed.
Philippians 4:4-7 "Rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
So, what practical things can we do to stop from worrying? I have not conquered this problem but I have made progress so I will share what has helped me.
- Seeking to keep my focus on Jesus - then I can't be focused on my worries. "Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endure the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrew 12:1 & 2. Practically how do we do that? Read about Him in the Bible, meditate on those things, pray, praise God for His character and how He can help us through any difficulty that we are facing, sing songs of praise and songs about what God can do, share with others about how you see God working in your life. post verses on your walls, in your vehicle, at work, etc that proclaim the goodness of God and give thanks over and over again for all that God has done for you (write lists of thankfulness).
- When you go through a time when you are tempted to worry, share your struggles with brothers and sisters in Christ who won't just sympathize and rehash your worries with you but will encourage you to focus on Jesus through them and will pray for you and with you. The time I mentioned about where I wept over the septic/e-mail/tailbone issues I was so blessed that Mara was here at the time. We talked it over, she held me while I cried a little and then she prayed for me mightily. I am so blessed to have many prayer warriors in my life who care about me and pray for me and with me. I highly encourage you to find people like that in your life. If you have no idea where to find them I highly recommend getting very involved in a Biblically based church.
- If you have received the gift of the Holy Spirit in your life (Acts 2:38 "Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit") I recommend daily asking to be filled yet anew with the fruit of the the Spirit. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control;" Galatians 5:22 & 23. Worry is very obviously not listed in there and is in fact in many ways the opposite of some of those characteristics listed.
- Remind yourself of how God has worked in the past and how He can yet again. Read stories in the Bible that show how He worked in the lives of those that followed Him (they are all over - just start reading!), read biography's of believers that show how God worked in their lives ( I recently re-read "The Hiding Place" and found that super encouraging), take time to keep a prayer journal and a journal where you write out stories of how God has worked in your life. Read through those things when times feel tough and they will help you to remember that God is much bigger than our problems.
- Put life into perspective. Read Hebrews 11 and remind yourself that life isn't all about our current physical life. Our focus needs to be on eternity. When we can look at it through that lens and realize that we are preparing for something far greater the problems of this world just don't seem as big.
- Make it a practice to surrender yourself to Jesus and to His will. Proverbs 3:5 & 6 says "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight." We don't see the big picture. As much as I often think I know what is best for me - I don't, but God does. Verbally acknowledge that to God. There is a beautiful peace that comes from letting go and saying "I surrender". In late 2020 I ran across the song called "You already Know" by JJ and David Heller. It was during a time of much uncertainty in my life. Ken and I were still officially married and he was still living in our home but he had told me that he didn't think he wanted to work on our relationship anymore. I was praying hard for his thinking on that to change for God to somehow work in our marriage. Meanwhile I really didn't know what was going to happen in the next couple of weeks/months/years. Everything seemed very uncertain. This song really hit home reminding me that though I didn't know everything that was going to happen - God did and He would be with me no matter what happened.
