WHAT CAN YOU CHANGE BY WORRY? Jesus said that we cannot change an inch of our height by worry; most assuredly we cannot change what will happen tomorrow by worrying about it. What does it mean to “worry”? “Worrying” is just meditating on what may or may not come to pass and ruminating on the problem at hand, what will or will not be. We are told, “take no thought for life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink because God already knows that you have need of these things.” God already knows. He takes care of the sparrow, are you not more valuable than the birds?
I am a very “black and white” person, I don’t see any grey area here. If I worry, it means I am not trusting God. WORRY= NO TRUST. What problems/struggles are you ruminating about? What are you meditating on? Are you making your problem bigger than the Creator of the Universe, the God who made you from dirt? It sounds ridiculous to worry when I present it to you like that. Perhaps you have forgotten how great and awesome our God is? If you are meditating on God’s Word and His goodness, everything else will fall to the wayside. Have you lost your peace? Then, your mind is not stayed on Him. Listen to this scripture,
“It is vain for you to rise early, To retire late, To eat the bread of anxious labors– For He gives [blessings] to His beloved even in his sleep.” Psalm 127:2
We are told that anxiety and worry is all in vain- it is empty, has no value, does no good and the only thing it accomplishes is to lose sleep. Medically speaking, ongoing worrying and anxiety will also create great health problems. Medical research estimates as much as 90 percent of illness and disease is stress-related This is an extremely high number and warrants a self-evaluation into your thought life. Scripture tells us to “take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ”. This means every thought should be thoroughly scrutinized and held up to the Word of God.
The above verse implies that even while you are sleeping, God is working things out for your good. Want victory over worry? Begin and end every day with God’s Word. I read a proverb a day plus five Psalms and then into my regular reading. If I am having trouble getting my mind right at night, I read the Word. Try meditating on God’s Word and His promises. This means to fixate on a verse or portion of Scripture and read it over and over. Chew on it like a cow chews the cud.
Cast down evil and anxious forebodings and refill your mind with His goodness and faithfulness. Ruminate on things that are good, right, pure and true. Surrender your problems to Jesus and lay every worry at His feet. He’s working things out for good. He has never lost control. Let others see God in you, and the peace that passes all understanding; not the worry of the world. Search your heart and ask, “Am I trusting God with this or am I worrying about it?”
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