Think a minute…It’s been said: “A day of worry is more exhausting than a week of work.” In fact, the root word for worry is “choke” or “strangle”. Worrying chokes the life and strength out of you. Constant worrying strangles us emotionally and physically, gradually draining away our happiness, peace, and energy. “If you don’t bury your worries, they will bury you.” Today and tomorrow, we will learn ways to win over worry.
To use the old technology of camera film as an analogy: “Worry is the darkroom in which negatives are developed.” You’re often expecting the worst—thinking of the bad things that can possibly happen. But this only paralyzes you; so, you end up doing little or nothing at all. Worry infects you with the “paralysis of analysis”. As a mother told her children: “Worry is like a rocking chair: You can rock all day long and go nowhere.” This is why worrying is a waste of our time and energy.
For one thing, worry makes no sense because you’re trying to control what you cannot control—such as the weather. Since it’s impossible, why even try? Plus, worrying about something you can change makes no sense either—since worrying cannot change anything. Make sure you do your best, then don’t worry about the rest.
Worry is not even natural or logical. You would feel foolish if you walked around all day with an open umbrella over your head just because you’re worried it might rain someday. Instead, you naturally wait to deal with the rain when it comes, if it even comes at all. We humans were not built physically, mentally, or emotionally to handle more than one day’s responsibilities and challenges.
An important step to winning over worry is simply to choose not to be a victim. Many of the things we worry about come from the wrong words and behavior of other people—yet we feel somehow responsible for the other person’s bad attitudes and actions. It’s true that peace with other people is very important—but never at the expense of the truth and facts. If you know for certain that you did not do something wrong, then you are not helping the other person by always rescuing him/her and taking responsibility for his/her wrongs.
Remember, with Jesus in control of your heart and life, you’re a victor not a victim of circumstances and other people. Won’t you ask Him to forgive you for living your own way, and to help you start living His way? It’s only when you have His inner peace and power that you can truly win over worry. Just think a minute…