Worrying is for worry warts

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”
NIV1 Peter 5:6-7

What is anxiety? Anxiety is nervousness, worry, concern, unease, fretfulness, and fear. Are you a worry wart? Do you find yourself fretting over things that you have no control over? What is going on in your life that has you filled with fear?

God’s Word tells us that we are not to worry about anything.

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matt 6:25-34 NIV)

Easier said than done, I can vouch for that. I am definitely my dad’s daughter. I believe I acquired most of his mother’s genes. I remember as a young girl my grandmother always worrying about everything. She loved her three sons (and their families) so much. She always made sure we had enough to eat and were safe. She watched us like a hawk (but in a good way). When we left to go home, she worried, when we played outside she worried that we’d get hurt, and on and on. Gramma made so much food on Sunday afternoon, we always had leftovers. Now I’m not bad mouthing my grandmother. I loved her just the way she was. In fact, she still inspires me today!

Lately as I am growing older, I catch myself worrying a bit too much. I worry about our children and whether or not they have enough to eat and money to live on. I am concerned whether or not our youngest will make it safely through four years of service in the United States Army. I worry that Gramma Child is comfortable in her sickness and that her time to go home is near. I sometimes fear that my mother’s heart is no longer strong enough to carry her through. And the list goes on and on.

I am a strong believer and I know that God is in control of every area of our lives. I know that He has my best interest in mind because I am His girl. I am certain that nothing will happen to our children that won’t pass through His hands first; because they belong to Him. I know as I give every concern and care I face to Him, He cares for me. It’s black and white. I am so thankful that when my weak side begins to raise its head, He becomes my strength. He is able to lift me out of every difficult circumstance, every struggle and remove every fear. That is why I call Him my Savior! He is the only One who is able to save me from the fiery furnaces of life. I lean on Him, I call on His Name, and I trust Him, with every trial and every struggle.

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4 NIV)

I may not always like every situation I am going through, cause quite often they are not very joyful, but I know that as He continues His good work in me, I no longer have to live the life of a worry wart!