is that more people worry than work.”
— Robert Frost
Worry.
Such a nasty, unhelpful thing. I don't know about you, but I’ve wasted a lot of my life worrying.
This morning, I read that worry puts distance between us and others. So true. I’ve spent many dreadful moments worrying about what others may think of me or how they may respond in a certain situation. And what happens? I inch further and further away from the person.
I've been called a "future girl" because I tend to worry about things that haven’t happened yet (and most likely won’t).
I’ve become an expert player in the “What if?” game. I’ve actually tried to strategically plan every “move” of a conversation or situation and in the end, found myself at the bottom of a rabbit hole paralyzed. The very notion that I can control a person or situation is so silly. And yet I still worry.
Because of my tendency to worry about the future, the first Bible verse I ever connected with is from Matthew 6:34: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
I so need that reminder!
When I find myself trapped in my head, full of worry, I need to remind myself to:
1) stay in today
2) stop trying to figure everything out on my own and ask for help
Duh.
Asking for help may sound easy, but it is a HUGE hurdle for me. Somewhere along the way I developed the notion that it was Heather vs. The World (cue "Rocky" theme music).
I truly believed that to be successful in life I had to accomplish goals and solve my problems on my own. Wow. So lonely, so sad, so WRONG. I mean, why would we be on this earth surrounded by millions of people if we are supposed to figure life out on our own?
Today, I must work (remember that quote from Frost?) at asking others for help...especially God.
According to Joyce Meyers, “All of us would be better off if we'd learn to lean on God and ask for His help. But as long as we try to do everything ourselves, God will let us. He won't take care of our problems and worries—our cares—until we turn loose of them and give them to Him.”
But, that doesn’t relieve us from the responsibility to act, to work. We have to do what we can and then turn over what we can’t to God.
We are told to “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.” —1 Peter 5:6-7
Meyers sums up this idea: “God won't do for you what you can do yourself…When we humble ourselves and ask for His help, then He's able to release His power in our situations. It's only then that we can really enjoy life.”
So I say, put worry away. Remove it from your bag of tricks. Give it to God.
According to Joyce Meyers, “All of us would be better off if we'd learn to lean on God and ask for His help. But as long as we try to do everything ourselves, God will let us. He won't take care of our problems and worries—our cares—until we turn loose of them and give them to Him.”
But, that doesn’t relieve us from the responsibility to act, to work. We have to do what we can and then turn over what we can’t to God.
We are told to “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.” —1 Peter 5:6-7
Meyers sums up this idea: “God won't do for you what you can do yourself…When we humble ourselves and ask for His help, then He's able to release His power in our situations. It's only then that we can really enjoy life.”
So I say, put worry away. Remove it from your bag of tricks. Give it to God.
And if all else fails, listen to Robert Nesta Marley.
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