If you're anything like me, you spend all too much time stressing. Sometimes it's justified, and others it's not. Sometimes it's something big; other times it's a bunch of small little issues that somehow work themselves into a huge catastrophe in my mind. I don't mean to be a worrier, but I am. Sometimes I even stress about how stressed I am. Ridiculous, right?
Instead of fighting this, though, and trying to change who I am, I have found great solace in remembering that God is in control and my worries pale tremendously in comparison to His glory. If we turn to the Bible, there are some truly great verses that really speak to us in our times of worry. Here are a few of my favorites:
1. James 1:2-4
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
This verse invites us to celebrate our trials instead of fearing them. After all, with a God like ours, what is there to be scared of? The trials and struggles that we endure help mold us into who we are and I, for one, believe our success is not measured by the outcome of these trials, but by how courageously and how gracefully we face them. God's love for us is unconditional and He loves us despite our successes or failures.
2. Psalm 94:19
"When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy."
This one pretty much says it all in such a short declaration. There is no better comfort than knowing that we serve an almighty and powerful God who loves us and will always watch over us. He is strong when we are weak, and we cannot truly fail if He is on our side. We must choose joy over anxiety, even in tough times.
3. Philippians 4:6-7
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
This verse, in my opinion, can be easily misconstrued. I do not believe we should simply pray to God and ask him to grant all our wishes, because it just doesn't work that way. However, I do believe that we should be open and honest with Him about our hopes and dreams and confide in Him with our desires. He might not answer our prayers right away, but He will provide us with peace and encouragement, and He might even open up another door for us that fits in perfectly with His ultimate plan for our lives.
