Taming the Worry Monster

Worry. A short, five-letter word that can cause colossal problems when put into practice. Health concerns, financial pressures, relationship issues, and a whole host of other situations, can cause the worrywart to surface in me. I have to admit, when a situation is out of my control, I have a tendency to leave the door wide open for Worry to waltz in and command center stage.

Worry lives up to his definition, causing me to become anxious, distressed, and troubled. Instead of providing solutions, Worry invites irrational thoughts to surface and pretty soon my heart rate is elevated, my stomach is in knots, and I'm forced to count sheep in an effort to get some sleep. Can anyone relate?

Fortunately, the Worry monster CAN be tamed. God's Word sheds abundant light on the subject of worry. The words 'fear not,' appear 62 times in the Bible! God's trying to tell me something! What's He saying? Don't worry! He shares the futility of worrying with a lesson from nature:

"Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek): for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof," (Matthew 6:27-33; KJV).

Point? He cares about my every need. Simply put, worry accomplishes nothing. More seriously, worry is a sin. The Lord wants me to trust Him with my life and all it includes. The big things, and yes, even the small things. He instructs me to trust in Him with my entire heart and refuse to lean on my own understanding. To acknowledge Him in all my ways, knowing that He WILL direct my paths (Proverbs 3:5-6).

As I put this principle into practice, will my life be problem-free? Absolutely not! But I have my gracious Heavenly Father's promise, "Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God," (Philippians 4:6; italics mine). Like a child, confident that her father will take care of the problem, I can approach my Savior knowing that He will deal with my difficulty in His perfect will.

The result? Look at the promise: "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus," (Philippians 4:7). Perfect peace in the midst of my storm. A peace that calms my anxious heart and assures me of my Heavenly Father's care. Now that's what I need! How about you?

Do you have a tendency to worry? Are you willing to trust God with your concerns? What will you do today to tame the Worry monster?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, forgive me for worrying about things I have no control over. Open my eyes to see that worry doesn't accomplish anything constructive, and in fact, can be very destructive. Help me to trust in You completely and to bring my concerns to You, so I can experience Your peace. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Overcoming Fear with Faith

Several hundred feet above the desert floor, the aerial tram crawls up the face of Mt. San Jacinto. A true engineering marvel, the tramway has been dubbed the eighth wonder of the world.

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not fond of heights. In fact, to be totally honest, I’m afraid of heights. As we prepared to board the tram car, it was comforting to know that “more than 12 million people have been safely transported by the Tramway into the majestic mountains overlooking the Coachella Valley since the attraction opened in September 1963.” (http://www.pstramway.com/)

Although the rotating tram car was a bit unnerving, I found that if I focused on a spot above the horizon, I could actually appreciate the eleven minute ride up to the top of the mountain. I can’t say I enjoyed it, but it wasn’t as nerve-wracking as I’d originally anticipated.

Once we arrived at the top of the mountain, the discomfort I had experienced as we traveled the 8500-feet was well worth it! The views were breath-taking. The temperatures a full forty degrees cooler than those we had left behind. It was as if we had been transported to a different part of the country. Where there had been sparse vegetation on the desert floor, different varieties of pines and flowering plants covered the ground as far as the eye could see. A true oasis.

Oftentimes the Savior desires for me to face my fears, the things I dread, in order for me to arrive at the ‘oasis’ He has for me. Much like the safety information printed about the tram cars helped to quell my initial fear, the Bible spells out countless reasons why I can put absolute faith in my God.

I think about the many heroes of the Old Testament, ordinary men and women who overcame fear with faith and did extraordinary things for God. Remember Joshua, the leader who had brought the children of Israel successfully into the promised land? After an unsuccessful attempt to overtake the city of Ai, the Lord appeared to him with the words, “Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land:” (Joshua 8:1; KJV). I imagine Joshua was more than a little afraid! Yet he trusted God, faced his fear, and was rewarded with a spectacular victory over the people of Ai.

Do you recall Gideon, the Israelite who hid by the winepress to thresh wheat, in order to keep it from the Midianites? The angel of the Lord appeared to him with the words, “The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour” (Judges 6:12) You might wonder what the Lord saw in a man who was hiding in fear from the enemy. The answer is one simple word, faith. Gideon believed the Lord when He said to him, “Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man” (Judges 6:16). Because he chose to overcome his fear and trust God, we see the mighty way God was able to use him, “Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that they lifted up their heads no more, And the country was in quietness forty years in the days of Gideon” (Judges 8:28).

What about Ruth, the Moabitess? After her husband died, she made the choice to return with her mother-in-law, Naomi, to the city of Bethlehem. This might seem like an insignificant decision, until you realize that the Moabites were hated by the Israelites. Don’t you suppose Ruth feared the possibility of rejection from Naomi’s people? Yet she saw something different in the God of Naomi and put her life into His hands. Because of her obedience, she ended up marrying a godly man named Boaz, and having a child who became the grand-father of King David!

Is fear holding you back? Take a fresh look at the many times God’s word challenges you to ‘fear not.’ He is a God who can be fully trusted! Talk to Him about your fear, lay it at His feet, and then choose faith in Him to transport you to the oasis He has for you!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I stand amazed at Your goodness. I praise You for the opportunity to overcome my fears through faith in You. Help me to remember that You will never leave me nor forsake me. I’m placing my trust in You. Use me today for Your honor and glory. Amen.