“If you worry, you die, and you’re going to die anyway, so why worry”? my Uncle John used to say. He wasn’t a religious man per se but isn’t this a religious principle?
I come from a family of worriers. My Mum used to worry about everything and my Gran used to worry about
everyone she met. When I lived with her and Papa while attending college in Glasgow, sometimes we would be sitting watching television at night and Gran would suddenly exclaim, “I wonder what happened to that woman? I hope she’s OK”. She would then explain that waiting at the bus stop in the morning she had got talking to a woman also waiting there. The woman would have told my Gran about some issue – family problem, poor health, or concern for another family member – and Gran would have spent the whole day thinking about her and worrying about the outcome.
A few years ago, my friend’s family was going through a difficult period. Her husband, in his mid-fifties, had lost his job and as hard as he tried, he could not find employment. This went on for 2 years which, of course, caused mounting financial difficulties. Instead of worrying about what would or would not happen, my friend approached the challenges she faced with an outlook I hadn’t experienced before. She would get out of bed in the mornings thinking, “I wonder what God is going to do today?” She did it cheerfully and with open expectation that something good would happen.
Many times, they weren’t sure how the bills would be paid or what sort of Christmas they would have with their 4 growing children. What was marvelous was the stories she told of the little miracles that would occur just in the nick of time. A check sent from someone in the exact amount of that month’s mortgage payment; winning a large Christmas hamper at the church fundraiser; finding the jacket her daughter wanted for Christmas at a
greatly reduced price. Sometimes people would leave a bag of groceries at their door anonymously or occasionally an envelope of cash. She was always grateful for each little miracle and would gather the family together to explain what had happened. I think she was teaching her children valuable lessons during these times. She also taught me that having a little faith, depending on God in tough times, was better than worrying about everything.
It is natural to have concerns and to worry in certain situations. When our second son was born severely
jaundiced and we had 5 harrowing days in the hospital, it was a worrying time for sure. I had not yet fully learned to focus on God and keep the faith. One morning, when my husband brought his brother to visit, who was 5 years old, he walked up to the bassinette, looked at his newborn brother, turned to face his Dad
and I squarely and pronounced, “you know he’s going to be all right, don’t you?” At that moment, I felt a little kiss from God telling us to relax and to know that everything would turn out right. A couple of days later, we took our newest baby boy home.
The scripture at the top of my homepage is one I have tried to live by and is one of the better-known passages about anxiety:
This is an excellent scripture to meditate on. There is so much in it. Not only does it say not to have anxiety at all, it also says to be grateful and make our requests (or petitions) known to God. It also promises peace; that peace which “surpasses all understanding”. Even in the midst of great difficulty we can experience peace if we place our faith and trust in God. This kind of peace cannot be explained other than the fact that when we focus on God, we can have this peace in times of struggle. His graces come to us freely given.
There are many more scriptures about anxiety and worry in the bible. I encourage you to look for them on your own. Find the one that resonates with you and keep it within view so that you can hold on to it when worry or anxiety come to visit.
What is your favorite scripture and why? I’d love to hear from you in the comments so that we can share these scriptures and experiences with one another.
Peace & Blessings,
Linda