Worry: give way to anxiety or unease; allow one's mind to dwell on difficulty or troubles.
I am a worrier, but I am becoming a warrior.
I find myself spending a large amount of time thinking about the things that could go wrong. While driving down the road, I worry about where I would seek shelter if there were a tornado (silly, I know). I worry about what the waiter at a restaurant will think of me if I stutter. I worry that if my parents aren't home by the time they said they would that they've been in a wreck and then I begin wondering what will happen to our family. I worry that I'm going to be single all of my life. I worry about whether or not I'll graduate on time. I worry about what people think of how I look or the way I act. The list goes on and on, but that isn't something I am proud of and it's something that I have been working on, and most of this will be me preaching at myself, but I hope the Lord can use this to bring truth to you as well.
We weren't made to be consumed with this burden, so why do we carry the weight of worry around everywhere we go? I believe it's an attack of Satan. John 10:10 states that, "The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy; I have come so that they may have life and have it to the full." The enemy attacks our minds and fills our thoughts with ones that are not Christ honoring, we doubt that God has a perfect plan for us, we doubt that we are cherished, we doubt His promises. This is what the enemy has come to do, so why are we not fighting back? Hebrew 4:12 says that, "For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." The word is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword! It may just be me, but I'm pretty sure we can combat Satan's attacks with that.
Philippians 4:6-7 instructs, "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 perfectly instructs us on what we should do when we find ourselves tempted by the enemy to be worriers. He directly commands us to not worry! Instead, we are instructed to present our requests to God. Y'all, he cares! He wants us to cast all of our anxieties on him, for he cares for us. When we do this, the peace of God which surpasses all human understanding will guard our hearts and minds. Seriously, how cool is that? The creator of the universe wants you to talk to Him about the thoughts that run though your head, for none of them are silly to him. He understands our fears and our anxieties, and that's why he wants us to lean into him and give him the burden of our worries, because they were never ours to carry.
"Whenever your heart starts to feel anxious about the future, preach to your heart and say, 'Heart, who do you think you are to be afraid of the future and nullify the promise of God?' No, heart, I will not exalt myself with anxiety. I will humble myself in peace and joy as I trust this precious and great promise of God—he cares for me." - John Piper
