I can do worry, better than you.

I promise you, I can do worry.  I can spend time agonizing about the craziest, most stupid things, in addition to the big things like "Where will we live after we lose the house?"  "How will I find another job after  we lose the business?"

However, God doesn't want me to do that.  How do I know?  This is how:

Matthew 6:25-34

New King James Version (NKJV)

Do Not Worry

²⁵ “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?²⁷ Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

²⁸ “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; ²⁹ and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ³⁰ Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

³¹ “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. ³³ But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

So, so many of my Christian friends are getting caught on the swamp of worry, thrashing around, trying to free themselves.  It's awful to watch.  

One important thing to remember, for believers, the Devil wants to make us unhappy.  That is his goal, to ruin our witness, keep us from evangelism, keep us from prayer, keep us away from God as much as possible.  To cause us as much pain and suffering as possible.  

I've found, if I look at life in that perspective, I realize it makes the devil happy when I worry.  I don't want to do that.  Besides, I've suffered enough anxiety in my life.  

I do have to admit, the antidepressant I take has some anti anxiety affects, but I have found a proper therapeutic dose of lithium beats all.  When my medication is right, (and it only really got right this year) I'm a far stronger person.  I am very weak if not properly dosed.  

Does that mean every Christian should run out for medication?  No, but if you have a mental imbalance get it addressed.  You will find life is a lot smoother.  It may take a while, but it's worth it.

If you're normal, great.  I've never been there, it must be an interesting place.

So how does a believer combat worry?  It's easy for me to say "Don't worry" isn't it?

No, it isn't.  My husband and I are full-blown low income, not far from the poverty line.  It is a major struggle to pay for any unexpected expense.  Our sales are down 75% in the last 4 years, the numbers don't lie, and look to remain low for the foreseeable future.

I don't drive - and according to a spreadsheet that saves us about $400 a month.  [snort]  That's more than half my pay!  Good thing I don't drive.

God has sent me Bibles because I sure couldn't afford them myself.  God had to send someone to fix my bathroom because it would have been impossible to pay ourselves.

But you know what - God sends.  After Ron's accident, God sent many wonderful people, some family, some not, to provide for our needs.

I've never starved or gone homeless.  I might get a little tired of ramen noodles, but then God sent a nice pot roast, didn't He?

So, how do I do it?  Well, I try to shake the worry off, like an annoying insect or a burr that got on my clothes.  I envision myself plucking it off and throwing it away.

Or, I imagine loading the worry into a catapult and flinging it very far away.  Or I mentally throw it to God, as a ball of some sort, and say "It's Your problem now".

One thing I didn't realize for so long, Jesus is happy to carry our burdens.  It makes Him happy.  He wants to do it.   So I "let" Him.

If I tried to carry half my burdens on my own, you know I have a lot more than I mentioned, it would squash me like a bug.

And there's Jesus, the whole time, with His hands out asking to carry it for me!

The Bible commands us not to worry, 10 times, in the New Testament.  Every time it is Jesus speaking.

You're going to listen to Jesus, aren't you?  [grin]