Are the worrying kind?
Does life weigh heavy on your heart most days?
Let me tell you quite simply and with the gentlest of voice, stop dear one.
This is one of the hardest life lessons as a Christian and yet it is the one which lifts you from the threshing room floor or the blustering storm to the very arms of Jesus, carried through the troubles and fears, and never facing them alone.
Do you know that nothing, absolutely nothing you face in this life is a surprise to Him? Our earthly journey is one of tight bends, where what is 'just around the corner' is more often than not a complete mystery until we reach it - yet He saw it all, long before He switched on the sun and hung the moon amongst the stars.
Right now this lesson is one I am learning to walk in because worry over the unknown has given me some unexpected anxiety attacks, and the fear which accompanies them overruled what I know to be true. I've worried over what 'might' happen, not what will. I've removed Him from the situation and believed myself vulnerable. I've held my breath and forgotten who gave me that oxygen for life.
I reacted to the unknown and did not turn to He who already knew.
In every situation these past few weeks where I allowed those worries to cripple my thoughts and responses He showed me my fears were unfounded. He let me fall apart so that I would allow Him to pick me up and carry me. It was the only way for me to learn, the only way I could understand that what He says is truth and what I feel is not.
I'd like to say I won't worry ever again, but I'm sure that would be untrue.
What I will say is that I know better now and every time my heart pounds out of my chest with concern or fears I will stop and breathe...I will sit down and let my thoughts rest on my Father, imagine myself handing it all to Him before climbing onto His knee and resting my head on His comforting and strong shoulder.
I can, you can -
"let it go, let Him take it, trust His promise, stop worrying"
Little by little, step by step...
Download the printable scripture card HERE
8 comments:
Oh Jenny. Thank you so much for that post. I have been sitting here worrying, trying to cast all my care on Him but bringing it away with me again. It is getting late and my dear girl who hasn't been driving long has taken her little brother to friends about an hour and a half away. We knew when she left so were expecting her home any time when we got a message to say they had got lost but were back on track. We have been waiting another hour and have no idea where they are or how they are getting on. I feel more at peace now, His love for them is so much stronger even than ours. Thanks again, to God be the glory. Sharon xx
A beautiful post. I will be working on that right along with you.
Thank you, Jenny, for reminding us that He is always there for us. I've found myself stressed so much lately, but several times I have simply told Him that I can't handle the situation -- He will have to step in and help me...after all He promised He would, right? And He has not let me down! Praise Him, He is my refuge!
Thank you so much, I found you on Pinterest last week. Have been going through fear for over a month now, husband lost his job. I think this is something I may have to read daily. Bless you <3
Thank you for the lovely the post...
That's a good idea, the sitting and reflecting when worries come. I really only worry about one thing any more, but it does occupy a lot of my mind. Other things I've learned to consign to the care of Christ, and this one I will, too. Eventually. =) Good lesson for pondering today.
Dear Jenny, many thanks for your today's post. As a woman going through difficult family and personal moments I'm very grateful for your words. I'll copy-paste your today's post to be able to re-read it frequently. Thank you!
Oh dear sweet Jenny, this is one of the hardest lessons we must learn. I gave up worrying 20 years ago. I had a mother-in-law who was the champion worrier of the world. Jim's father was an American Baptist Preacher. It is a sect of Baptists that are extremely liberal. I was not liberal. They did not like me because of it. As Jim and I grew in our marriage I tried to help him grow in his faith by example. I always let him be the leader of the home and family. We did have problems where his family came in though as they ridiculed me and my beliefs and Jim wouldn't stand up for me. It WORRIED me. As time went on and I saw more of his family I couldn't help but see that his mother constantly worried about EVERYTHING. I found this hard as I felt that she had years of experience being a preachers wife. Where was her trust? It did take years and a lot of heartache on my part but finally Jim began to see that the ideas he had grown up with were not consistent with the Bible. Now let me make a disclaimer right here, there are many, many American Baptists out there who are walking a good path. This was one family that had somewhat lost its way. Jim began to stand up for me and himself in front of the family. And I took a good hard look at worry. I went to the Bible and realized that it was getting me nowhere. It wasn't overnight but gradually I stopped. I would hand over my care to Jesus and I just wouldn't take it back. Many, many years later when Jim's mother and I had become friends she asked me once how I did it? I answered did what? Not worry. I explained to her that it wasn't biblical. It was like you didn't trust Jesus to take care of things. I asked her what had all of her worrying gotten her all of her life. She looked at me like I had struck her. She said she worried because she cared. Since she had brought it up I decided to take it further. I told her that caring can cause concern but concern is completely different from worry. I had watched her my entire married life and she worried. That wasn't caring and it puts a burden on the other person. That might have sounded harsh but I had observed what her severe worrying had done to her family for 34 years. She had been doing it a long time before that also. I wish I could say our talk made a difference but it didn't. She worried 'til the day she died. I guess that having her extreme example saved me from years of doing it myself. I have had panic attacks. I've been on medication for them. I have worried myself into a frenzy. It just doesn't do any good. The ONLY solution is to give it all to Jesus and refuse to take it back. Jenny, it's so hard at first. You give him your problem and walk away and then ten minutes later you run back saying I'll take that back I think I need to handle it. Who do you think is more capable? Believe me I did not get to where I am overnight, in a week, in a month, or a year. But I can honestly say now that I no longer worry. I believe in you, and know you can get there too.
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