I’m not a worrier. That doesn’t mean nothing bothers me. It means that I’ve trained my spiritual muscles to carry the loads of life.
I’ve learned that worry offers me a choice. I either flex my faith muscles or I attempt to carry the burden alone. As humans, our first instinct is survival. We want to provide for ourselves.
Which means we have to intentionally step back if we want to allow God into our lives in any capacity. Especially when it comes to worry. People often say worrying is natural. I say it’s taking life the easy way.
It’s much harder to step back and allow God to handle the messes of life. Because it goes against the natural instincts we’ve developed.
One of my favorite Bible passages comes from Psalm 62:5-8.
“My soul, wait silently for God alone,
For my expectation is from Him.
He only is my rock and my salvation;
He is my defense;
I shall not be moved.
In God is my salvation and my glory;
The rock of my strength,
And my refuge, is in God.
Trust in Him at all times, you people;
Pour out your heart before Him;
God is a refuge for us.”
What a beautiful mindset to live with. It takes intentionality. God wants us to draw near to Him, and He will draw near to us.
This world draws us away from Him. It is up to us to live in the world without being a part of the world.
Life can bring so much worry. Or it can bring the opportunity to open our hands, and offer our life, to The One who can set us free from angst.
After losing my oldest daughter, I found that worry crept at the door of my heart. I did not want to open that door. I felt Satan attempting to gain a foothold in my mind.
Because I knew with a certainty that God does not operate that way. The Lord provides peace and light. I knew this was a battle I was not designed to fight. Jesus had already won the battle.
I needed to focus, to fix my mind, heart, and eyes on Him. I had to stop focusing on the pain of loss and look to Him alone. I believe that there are certain principles that we need to constantly focus on to center and strengthen our Christian walks.
They are all found in James 4:7-12.
Relinquish control
Resist the devil
Restore worship to a priority in our hearts
Reject sinful actions and attitudes
React to sin with sorrow
Respond to success with humility
Refuse to judge or slander others
The very act of focusing our attention to live intentionally for God takes a lifetime.
Each day brings new challenges.
Yet we will continue to grow when we are focused on doing so.
As we grow, and apply wisdom found in James 3:17 to our lives, we will find ourselves standing with a firm life foundation on which to build. A solid groundwork to construct faith, trust, and hope.
“But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.”
When my mind and heart is occupied with focusing on God and drawing near to Him, I don’t have the inclination to worry.
When trouble arises, my very first instinct is to cry out to Him. I do not want to attract or carry strife.
In calm times, we must all stay focused on deepening our walk with Him. So we do not stray away and allow worry to claim space in our life.
After Jaime died, I could feel worry start to build if my loved ones took longer at an activity than I imagined they should. My mind would start to fill with endless possibilities for their delay. When that fear crept in, I knew I needed to turn to God immediately. Every time, He shifted worry to trust.
Psalm 62:8 “Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge.”
Psalm 112:7 “They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.”
Romans 15:13 “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Matthew 11:28-30
“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Just reading His words brings joy to my heart! He invites us to allow Him to give us rest.
He delights in carrying our burdens.
When we place our problems in His hands, we place ourselves under His dominion, and are free to enjoy the relief from stress.
The way God intended us to live. This is the lifestyle He invites us to walk in with Him daily.