Are You A Worry Wart?
When I was a kid, there was a magazine I read called Mad Magazine. The star of the magazine was Alfred E. Neuman, and he had a slogan on his picture that I always remember. It said, “What, Me Worry?” And he was grinning ear to ear.
However, if you are like a lot of people I know, you worry a lot. You worry about your job, your spouse, your kids, your lack of money, your investments, your friends, the economy, your health, tomorrow, next year, etc., etc. SOMEBODY stop the madness!
Name one positive thing you have gained by worrying. You can’t. You know why? There aren’t any positive things about worrying. Now you will probably worry about THAT! LOL.
If you remember nothing else, remember this, worry is a waste. It is a waste of time, energy, resources, rest, peace, focus, and potential. Worry can paralyze you and keep you from moving forward in your God-given destiny. Worry is future focused. Unless you have a crystal ball and can see into the future, why are you focused on the what if’s? You know, the “What if I lose my job, the what if I lose my spouse, the what if I lose my health, etc.”
Life is way too short to spend your days worrying about what might or might not happen in your life. You have control over the present. What you do now will help place the foundation for tomorrow. You can prepare for the journey, but you can’t assure the final destination or even the timing. That is in God’s hands.
We all have unexpected detours that come our way, but we can rest in this, God knows what is coming. We have to trust Him. If we can do that, then we can take each day in stride, knowing that He has plans for us that will often surprise us, but will always be used for His glory and our good. It may not appear that way at first, especially if it is a tragedy, but God has a way of making good grow from even the most tragic events of life…if we just trust Him. That assumes, that you know God and have a relationship there, of course.
There is an old Hymn I know called, “Trust, and Obey.” It goes, “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way, to be happy in Jesus….but to trust and obey.” That is the key to dealing with worry. Trust God, obey Him, and be happy in Jesus. It just takes a step of faith. It is not a leap of faith…but just a step in the right direction. Once you have taken the step, you will know peace….and that is Shalom! Here is hoping that you quit worrying, and live fully in today. Next time you meet someone that is worried, wouldn’t it be great if you could grin and say, “What, Me Worry?”
Shalom!
Dan Skognes