When We Worry....

Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow.  God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. - Matthew 6:34

I am a worrier.  For as long as I can remember, I have always worried.  When I was in 5th grade, my sweet momma sang in the church choir.  She had practice every Wednesday night.  The second the garage door closed, homework always began.  On one particular night, my dad's primary responsibility was to help me complete a fraction assignment.  Oh he tried...and Oh I cried!  No words that came out of his mouth made any sense.  I remember going to bed that night worried that I just might not make it to 6th grade...ever.  Thankfully, I did receive a promotion to middle school.  I did learn fractions.

As a student at Texas Tech, I always imagined being one semester away from failing out.  With each test, I told my momma, "...but you don't understand.  I'm going to fail THIS exam.  THIS is the one.  Then, I will likely fail THIS course.  I'm just not sure I can do this."  I fretted about being "that student" who loaded my car 2 years early and never finished a degree.  Thankfully, I did finish.  I graduated from Texas Tech with one B!  That B wasn't even in math!

Over the past few weeks, I have reflected on my worries and the act of worrying.  This is what I have come to realize.

• When you and me worry, we exhibit distrust in an Almighty Father whose glorious presence always sustains us.  Thanks be to God!
• Worry, in our lives, places us in a position of assuming we must accomplish everything in our own strengths.  Praise God for the strength He provides us.
• Worry has the power to damage our self-esteems, alter our happiness and compromise our quality of life.  Praise God for His daily reminders that we are fearfully and wonderfully made, that we were made for so much more.
• Worry prevents us from living in the present moment.  As we worry about what may or may not happen tomorrow, we fail to acknowledge the beautiful gifts of today.  May we always pause to thank Him for our daily blessings.
• Worry causes us to shift our gaze away from the most important relationship in our lives, our relationship with God.  May we all strive to keep our eyes fixed on Him, the true perfecter of our Faith.  As we fix our eyes on Him, we practice the beautiful art of leaning on His understanding instead of our own.  Praise God for the pocket of peace this provides our souls.

In this broken, fallen world I do believe there will always be something to worry about.  A changing society, with news and information a phone click away, means we have countless opportunities to worry about so much more.  God never intended for us to live our daily moments in this way.  A few months ago, in a phone conversation with my college daughter, I said these words: "Be a warrior, not a worrier."  I believe these words were just as important to me as they were to her.  Go forth into this day as a true warrior, not a worrier, of God's kingdom. Amen.