Any worriers out there?
Come on…admit it.
Chances are that you’ve found yourself worrying about something today,
and it might even be bothering you now, and could even interrupt your sleep
tonight.
What’s the point? In
Luke 12:25-26, Jesus is explaining to the disciples their value to God and He
says, “Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing
like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things?”.
Guess what? Those
words are still true today for you and for me.
Knowing that God provides for even the ravens and lilies, why would He
not take care of us?
Worry and anxiety can give some people a lingering “spirit
of fear” to the point that it controls their lives. The Lord wants us to be free from anything
that controls us and keeps us captive. Not
only does worry not add a single moment to our lives, but in some cases it can
shorten our lives by leading to anxiety or depression, and more physical ailments
due to stress and exhaustion.
Maybe you come from a long line of worriers. It was what you observed while growing up and
it is how you have proceeded to live.
Many times, chronic worriers worry over situations that might not even
exist- they just worry about the prospect of something happening and play out
every scenario in their heads making things far worse than they really
are. This can lead to being overly
emotional and sensitive which can destroy trust and relationships.
The definition of a worrier
is one who feels or shows fear and concern because they think that
something bad has happened or could happen.
On the flip side, the
definition of a warrior is a person who fights in battles and is known
for having courage and skill.
How do you want the ones you love to remember you? As one who shows fear, or as one who is known
for having courage?
How do you leave the worrier behind and become a warrior?
·
Release
control to God-
o
God loves us so much that he takes ALL of our
burdens. He gave us authority to walk on
anything under our feet. Tell yourself
that worry is like a gun being pointed at you by the devil, but that you have a
nuclear weapon inside you that can destroy it.
That nuclear weapon is God’s word and the Holy Spirit. Be intentional in your effort to replace your
worries with Scripture.
·
Use
positive self-talk-
o
You might need to literally talk yourself out of
worrying.
o
Say things like, “This upcoming family visit will
be fine, so I am not going to play out potential conflicts in my head.”
o
Or “ I have no control over what she thinks of
me. As much as I would like to defend
myself, I know that it will exasperate the situation, so I will let it go.”
·
Use the
POUR method by Beth Moore-
o
Pour out your fears to God.
o
Ask God to pour into you the fruits of the
Spirit (faith being one of them).
o
Ask Him to allow His Spirit to pour forth His
fruit into others through you.
Our contributor, Kathy, admits to being a chronic worrier in
the past and shares how she is overcoming that obstacle in her life.
“I still have my moments of worry but they
don’t last long anymore. I think it was
when I realized just how much my Heavenly Father loves me that I began to say, ‘I
really believe what He says’. When I magnify The Lord, everything else seems
small, and when I worry it only pleases the devil.”
So, in the words of
that overplayed, but fabulous song from Frozen just “let it go”, and believe
what He says, show courage, and be a warrior!
Passages to Ponder:
I Peter 5:6- So humble yourselves under the mighty power of
God, and at the right time, He will lift you up in honor.
2 Timothy 1:7- For God has not given us a spirit of fear and
timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
Psalm 91:9-11- If you make the Lord your refuge, if you make
the Most High your shelter, no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near
your home. For He will order His angels
to protect you wherever you go.
Contributors: Karen
Bromby, Kathy Derda, Michele Killion, Kim McClure, Shawna Nelson and Kristy
Tolley
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