Psalm 102:1-5 speaks of being overcome by worry to the point of sickness. Verse 4 talks about their heart being so filled with their circumstances that they forget to eat. I relate to this passage because I think about how I tend to wear my hearts on my sleeves and am led by my own emotions. However, I find myself doing a compare and contrast to the person behind this psalm. I say things like “I’m glad I do not skip meals because of worrying like they did,” or even a more judgmental response like “If they had experienced God like I have, then they would know that worrying to the point of sickness shows distance from God.”
Oh what a twisted little lie I’ve concocted to make me feel better about myself…
Truth is I am just as guilty of the same feelings and emotions as the writer of Psalm 102. Sometimes, I do overwhelm myself to the point of not eating. Other times I over-indulge in foods due to how I am feeling. Just as this Psalmist, I have to get to a point where I can depend on the LORD again because when the worry first sets in all I can see is the problem.
Sound familiar to you?
Worrying does nothing to better our health. It actually causes strain on our hearts and opens the door to other anxieties to flood in.
Think about how worry has affected you in recent times.
How long did it take you to move past the place of worry?
How did your body feel after this period of worrying?
Many of us may not consider the impact worry plays in our health. Worry can affect how we view life and the meaning of it all. It can lead to changes in our physical appearance, sickness, and our interaction with others. Worry affects the core of who you are because it cuts you off from the Source, the Lord our God. It overrides our ability to process a situation with a clear mind. Worry consumes our mind.
How do you move from worrying?
Glad you asked. Matthew 6:25-34 is your answer. Jesus advises us not to worry about things which we cannot control. Let’s face it, most worrying is based on what we cannot control or things with an easy solution that we are unable to see at the moment. Next, He reminds that our Heavenly Father sees our need and has already taken care of our need before we ever knew it was present. Finally, Jesus warns us to stay in the present time and stop looking at the worries of the next day. Do you know how much worrying begins because we are trying to make solutions for problems that have not even presented themselves? I guarantee you that it’s around 99%!
When worry present itself ask yourself these questions:
- Is the problem based in an actual crisis?
- Does a decision have to be made today?
- Is my worrying based on pure speculation?
- What’s the worst that can happen to me in this situation?
- What’s the best that can happen to me in this situation?
- If the worst case scenario presents itself, who can I turn to in need of help?
Each of these questions allow you to stop focusing on the “what ifs” and get clear about your concerns and circumstances. Daily, in my professional setting, I encounter countless individuals who face worry derived from a pending life crisis. I go through this sequence with each of them and help to see that worry cannot benefit a situation that has not already presented itself. The last thing we want to do is become a spectator in your own life.
Something to consider:What seems to cause the most worry for you in life? How have you responded to these moments of worry in the past? What can you do differently?